


Define Family

by BudBrock



Series: For Family [1]
Category: Disney Duck Universe, DuckTales (Cartoon 2017), Legend of the Three Caballeros (Cartoon), PKNA - Paperinik New Adventures, Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Canon Related, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Secrets, Hurt/Comfort, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:06:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 40,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26296885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BudBrock/pseuds/BudBrock
Summary: The kids had made Scrooge promise. No more secrets...yeah, they made the wrong Uncle promise.Come on. We all know Donald has more secrets than Scrooge has treasure. This is written purely for fun.
Relationships: Donald Duck & Louie Duck
Series: For Family [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1934386
Comments: 336
Kudos: 519





	1. With...or Without Me

The feeling of being left behind was one he unfortunately has become used to. Not by choice of course. Donald fought tooth and nail to make it here; Flew like a bat outta hell. Just to be here. He once again defied death to protect his loved ones.   
Only to discover their ignorance about his entire situation. To discover their indifference to his disappearance. To know...that they didn't even need him. They moved on without him. Della REPLACED him. Just like the old days. And they were, happy....without him. Safe...without him. As if he didn't sacrifice a decade of his life loving and caring for the boys. An entire decade of making those boys his LIFE.

Donald stared through the front windows of the manor on Killmotor hill. A familiar numbness settled over him as he watched his family. The boys were hopping around their mother excitedly while Scrooge went over what was undoubtedly a map to whatever new adventure they were gearing up for. All wonderfully oblivious to his pain and everything that went down on the moon. 

His message must've gotten lost. They had no idea about the impending invasion he had thwarted. They probably thought he was still on his cruise. Never mind that, according to the date, that had ended last week and if he had made it aboard he would've been home by now. 

_Who get's stuck with all the bad luck? No one, but Donald duck..._

He was sick of it.Tired, beaten, broken and constantly relied on to fix the world's problems while the world gave him problems of his own. Even the Greek god Atlas had not wanted to be him and told him so. It was time for a break.

Slowly he turned around and headed to where he left his run down station wagon. He opened the door, pulled his keys from the visor and stuck them into the ignition.

"So that's it?" Donald turned at the sound of the Lieutenant. "You're not even going to go inside? After everything you're just going to...give up!?!?" 

Donald briefly wondered why he allowed the alien to come with him back home, and then remembered his promise. He released a heavy sigh before letting his head fall with a THUNK onto the steering wheel. Apparently the horn's silence was deemed unlucky.

"It's not that simple Lieutenant." It had taken awhile for Penumbra to puzzle out what he said. But she had gotten good at it over the last month.

"Then explain it to me like you usually do, sir."

He raised his head slowly and carefully started the engine. "Get in."

With a small salute she dutifully marched to the other side of the car and slid in. A moment later and they were pulling away from Killmotor and through downtown Duckburg. Silence reined as Penumbra squirmed in anticipation. Her excitement only grew when Donald pulled up to a rather large and strange looking house.

"First things first." He cut the engine and turned toward her. "This house is only technically mine, so don't snoop and definitely don't break anything." She nodded in agreement. "Second of all, I'm tired and hungry. So I'm going to get something to eat. Then I'll explain."

"Of course, sir."

Donald sighed again before popping his door open and slowly heading up the white stairs. The Lieutenant following him closely. He was surprised to find the door already unlocked. In the span of half a second his fried nerves were back on high alert.

He fell into a crouch and motioned for Penumbra to do the same. With a nod of his head they both crept forward and into the house cautiously. They continued down the main hall, checking every door way and sweeping through rooms defensively. Passively the duck noted how well the Moonlander implemented her basic training. He found himself feeling a small swell of pride building in his chest and he couldn't help but think...I taught her that...

Refocusing on their current task he motioned for the alien to stop. He swore he heard movement coming from the next room. They were pretty far into the house now. In fact, this hall was the furthest back into the house you could get. That's why he put the girls' rooms back here... Straightening slowly he motioned for the Lieutenant to stay back. She frowned at him, but followed orders. 

_Maybe I'm overreacting...it wouldn't be the first time..._

Placing his palm against the door, he sucked in a quiet breath before firmly pushing it open. He barely dodged the first fist that flew at his face, his body reacting on instinct to dodge, and he caught the second. Jerking the appendage forward he spun the assailant around before putting them in a light choke hold. He held them firmly his only concern to keep them contained.

Once the thrashing settled down he pushed them away from himself. The young duck, now that he could see her, spun on her heel breathing heavily.

"Uncle Donald!? What are you doing here?" Donald blinked and took the girl's appearance in.

"May?" It was her, had to be. But..."Aren't you supposed to be at Camp Pendleton?" May's face reddened slightly and her gaze sunk to the floor. Bad topic then. "Nevermind that, are your sisters here?"

May mumbled something he couldn't quite make out. Bad situation then. He approached her slowly, hand out. He stroked the feathers on her cheek before gently pulling her into a hug. She gripped him back fiercely and buried her beak into his shoulder. There were no tears, she' didn't become a marine for nothing, but there was plenty of emotion.

"What's wrong kiddo?"

Penumbra watched on from behind them awkwardly. She tried to press herself into the wall and make herself invisible. Normally she would have just left...but she was under orders.

"Who are you?" The voice had her jumping in surprise. When she turned she berated herself heavily at forgetting to keep her guard up. There were two new arrivals whose appearances were near identical to the first girl who had called the Admiral 'Uncle'. She assumed this also meant they were not a threat, but she didn't want to take that chance.

Before she could get to her weapon the Admiral cut her off. "It's alright, she's with me."

"Uncle Donald!" With the exclamation the other two leapt at him and joined the strange embrace.

"It's good to see you girls again." He stroked each of their cheeks and hugged them close. He even gave them a peck on the forehead. "Now, does someone want to tell me what the heck is going on?"

The girls just smiled and laughed lightly. "We could ask you the same thing."


	2. Heroism

They moved from the back hall to a small kitchen\dining room to talk. It took awhile, but they started with Donald and Penumbra. He gave them a very brief story of what had happened the last month an a half roughly...very brief. He purposefully left out several details like how his family doesn't know he went missing, or how horrific taking down Lunaris had been.

Instead he told them that he accidentally got launched to the moon, where the Lieutenant became his ally and together they took down Lunaris, stopped his invasion and re-established the Moon's civilization with a new leader and an Earth\Moon treaty with Earth's Global Alliance. Which was all true...

The girls then told him how May had barely gotten out of the Marine Corps with an Honorable Discharge after a particularly nasty mission she had been ordered to abort.

"They ordered me to leave just as I was in the middle of evacuating civilians. I couldn't just abandon all those families! I had to get them out!"

May ended up stuck, left behind, because all her air support had left. So she had called June, who was Air Force, for an EVAC. Which had gotten June in trouble who had also walked away with an Honorable Discharge thanks to April. Both actually thanks to April, because she was Navy J.A.G.

"The Admirals offered us all a deal. We all either accept the Honorable Discharges...or we all get sent to Leavenworth for disobeying direct orders, theft of government equipment and impartiality to perform official duties. The last one was a thin excuse and technically only a reprimand, but they made it clear. All three of us either leave, or be railroaded."

Donald watched his girls carefully and noted how guilty May looked and most definitely felt. "I'm so proud of you girls." Their heads shot up at his soft words. "You did the right thing May, helping those people. There's a difference between being a soldier and being a hero. You were a hero."

May's smile was small but he counted it as a victory.

"June, when your sister needed help you did what you had to for family. You stepped up and stayed with her the whole way. You were dependable."

May hugged June in thanks, though she looked like she wanted argue with Donald. But he just kept on going undetered. 

"April, you protected and defended your sisters no matter the cost. You did what was right despite how hard it was. You were loyal."

The girls were all smiling now, his words making them feel better about what had happened. Aunt Daisy had told them that if they didn't want to be fired then they shouldn't have rocked the boat. 

"I'm so proud of all three of you." They launched into his arms and another round of hugs was given.

"We love you Uncle Donald!"

This was what he needed. This was what he wanted. And for a second...just a second, he imagined it was his boys saying it. As soon as that thought crossed his mind he got rid of it. He wouldn't trade his girls for the world.

"I love you too." The moment was sweet and tender. A complete opposite to how his day would normally go, even before the moon incident.

He wished he had his camera on him to remember this.

"Not to interrupt or anything, sir. But...could you explain, please?"

Donald cracked one eye open and glanced at the Moonlander, who was apparently very uncomfortable. She had her arms crossed over her chest tightly and a small frown on her face. He sighed again at the reminder and let the girls go.

"This house, the whole place actually, belonged to my grandfather. And as his eldest grandchild I inherited it."

Penumbra blinked. "By this whole place...you mean?"

"Everything, it's called the New Quackmore Institute. This building and it's surrounding property's are a school. And I own it."

He wasn't sure why Fate and his Bad Luck had allowed him that. He could only guess it was because he had a well thought out will that left everything divided and equally given to his kids, which he needed to amend to 7, so technically it was theirs. That and he tried not to stay or live there too long. Hence the houseboat.

He discovered early on that he could keep emergency money safe if he left it in a bank account under any name, as long as it wasn't Donald Duck. So he started doing that with everything, everything he was legally allowed to anyway. It made raising the triplets easier, though he blew through his treasure rather quickly he now had bank accounts set up for each of them when they turned 18. By then the accounts would have more than enough money for college or anything else to help get them started.

All his other assets were liquidated. He could withdraw in an emergency, in fact the Institute had an Adventuring account he could pull from without question so long as he returns with with something of historic value for their exhibits.

"You...own this land?" Donald would never understand the Moonlander's customs. After confirming her question she immediately gave him a bow. 

"You don't have to...nevermind." Fingers massaged his head trying to stave off the incoming headache.

"And what about your family, sir?"  


"That's a problem for future me. I'll debrief you tomorrow." He was too tired for this. As if to agree, his beak split open in a yawn. A nap sounded fantastic right now. Then he'd figure out what to do with himself later.

"Go on Uncle Donald, your room is exactly how you left it. We'll hold down the fort."

He smiled and ruffled their feathers. "Thank you girls."

They were right, it was the same. Bookshelves full of history books and journals; Some his others not. Desk full of maps and charts. A small treasure chest in the corner enchanted to only open if he touches the lid. Inside of which he left his Agency and S.H.U.S.H I.D's and super suit, among other things.

Donald flopped into the hammock he hung in the far right corner between his favorite bookshelves. The room was originally an office, which was what he mostly used it for anyway. With the life he's had, he's learned how to sleep anywhere so he never bothered with a bedroom. Well that and the whole 'if he doesn't live here his Bad Luck won't destroy it' theory. Which seemed to be working


	3. Desicions

_The fist that collided with his jaw was unforgiving and harder than concrete. It struck him without mercy leaving behind aches he hadn't felt in years. Dislocated shoulder from hanging by his wrists over his head. Cracked ribs making it hard to breath. A pounding headache informed him of his concussion, or more probable a cracked skull._ _The fist, however, didn't let up. Even through his swollen eyes he could see the green snake of an alien smirking at him. The bastard was enjoying this._ _Donald was going to savor the moment he took this psycho down._

_"I'm not telling you anything." He wished his words were stronger. Yelled in defiance. But all he could manage was a hiss through the pain._

_"You misunderstand. Though that is not surprising." His abuser chuckled lowly. "This is merely for fun. I already have all the information I need."_

_His abuser's accomplice, the lilac one, let go of him suddenly. When the next blow came there was nothing holding him steady. The force caused him to swing around wildly for a moment. Then he was grabbed by the back of his neck and forced forward. Another hand gripping the feathers on his head and yanking up._

_Even through his tears he recognized his kids. Their pictures staring at him innocently from the giant computer screen...it made his blood BOIL._

_"No..." The soft exclamation only made his captor laugh louder._

_"Yes." The cruel hands holding him spun him back around to face the demented General. "Say goodbye, to Webigail...Hubert...Dewford...and Llewellyn."_

_"No...no no no no NOOOOOOO!!!!!!"_

* * *

"NOOOOOOO!!!!"

Donald sat up to fast. His momentum throwing him comically out of his hammock. He laid on the floor, chest heaving, heart racing, mind numb...at least it wasn't as bad as his other nightmares. He just hoped no one else heard tha...

With a deafening crash the door was pulled clean of it's hinges and in flew a lilac blur, crouched with her ray gun out; Ready for anything.

"I'm here sir! Where's the threat!?" Penumbra glanced around the room with a glare, daring anything to move.

The poor duck just sighed. Now that his breathing was, more or less, under control he decided to simply ignore the Moonlander and walk downstairs for some breakfast.

"Sir?" She still hadn't moved from her position.

"False alarm." He motioned for her to follow him. "Today, your gonna learn how to fix things you break."

"Of course sir. My bad...sir."

He didn't blame her for being high strung. That was an unfortunate side affect of being a soldier. The kid would learn. But for now. Breakfast. Pancakes to be more specific. A good hearty meal, and maybe because it's also comfort food, would start the day out right. For all of them.  
It was relaxing. Going through the motions of cooking. He couldn't wait to make dinner. It's been too long since he buckled down and really made a good meal. Or had anyone willing to eat it.

As he waited for the pancakes to cook Donald wondered who he should get in touch with first. His cellphone had been destroyed...along with all it's pictures. So he should head out and get a new one. In fact, the house probably needed some new groceries. He and the girls could make a shopping day out of it, like they use to.

Speaking of...he was glad to hear one of the side doors, which they used more than the front, open. All three girls walked in wearing sweats. Ah, morning PT...he did not miss it.

"Good morning Uncle Donald." He smiled at the greeting.

"Good morning girls. Do you want breakfast now? Or later?" He'd wait for them if they wanted to shower.

"Later, please." June gave him a kiss. "We'll be real quick." May hugged him from behind. "Promise." April threw her arm around his neck and pressed her face close to his. 

"Thanks Uncle Donald."

Donald missed this...normalcy. He loved adventuring, and the adrenaline of a good fight. But without these quiet moments...these were what he loved the most. They were what he loved the most, his greatest treasure. His most daring adventure. Raising triplets...twice. A feat not many can claim to accomplish and he was insanely proud of his kids.

"Did you train them?" The question made Donald jump when he was trying to flip a pancake. The unfortunate food item made a splat on the ceiling. How on earth....the ceilings in this house are at least 9 feet high!?!?

He glared at the mess before turning toward the Lieutenant. She held herself at attention, ready for her reprimand. The duck briefly wondered what kind of C.O the green snake was. An awful one undoubtedly. Why that big palooka probably blamed everything on the poor girl.

Grumbling lightly to himself he finished flipping the pancakes. "At ease." He watch her from his peripherals eyeing him lightly before relaxing, albeit minutely. "No, I did not train the girls."

"Permission to speak freely, sir." Her back went rigid again. Donald sighed and nodded.

"Why are you so different here...than on the moon, sir? With all due respect sir....on the moon you were fearless, ruthless, a skilled and highly trained soldier who let nothing stand in his way. You moved mountains, LITERALLY. General Lunaris, he...interrogated.....you for days...you didn't break! You fought back hard...and then you helped us....you said...you SAID you did it for your family...for Della. But you won't even go see them! Why!?......uh, sir." 

Donald finished plating breakfast and set it on the table. He sighed and wondered where to start; digging the palms of his hands into his eyes and sitting down heavily. "Because they don't know. And they don't need to know." He stared at her hard. "They're civilians Penumbra. They won't understand. And I need a break. Everything I did, everything I do, I do it for them. To keep them safe....to keep them happy. Besides.....what went down up there.....You do what you have to for family."

Penumbra held his gaze while she turned his words over in her head. It was such a shame he was so difficult to understand, because she knew he had so many good things to say. If only people would stop and listen.

"Understood, sir." He smiled at her and she had to fight to keep one of her own off her face. "What's the plan, sir?"

"Sit," He plated up a few pancakes. "Eat. Later we'll go shopping with the girls. Then I'll swing back by the mansion this weekend and make an entrance."


	4. Home is Where the Heartbreak is

The week had been suprisingly uneventful...well, uneventful for them anyway. Other than the rogue llama incident and the accident in the soda aisle, everything was great. They even stopped for ice cream on the way back to the Institute. Now...Donald was back to sighing. He had decided on a lie, all of his excuses picked out and his stories straight. That was if anyone bothered to ask.

He straightened himself up, plastered a smile on his face and picked up his newly bought suitcase filled with...well nothing it was really just for show since he lost his last one. Now prepared he knocked on the manor door and waited for either Beakley or Duckworth to answer.

It didn't take long for the door to come open and surprisingly it was a robot. A very strange robot. It let him in after a quick scan told it he was a relation. Then it grabbed his bag and disappeared. Great, he's never going to see that thing again.

"Hellooooo, is anybody home?" His voice bounced off the walls and echoed slightly. "Huh, of course. When Della came home she probably got a party...but when I come home nobody's even here."

He continued grumbling as he walked up the steps towards the boys' room. Might as well clean it while they were away. It was really the only useful thing Beakley let him do, and he didn't feel like having an argument when they all came home. The unmistakable sound of laser fire had him back on alert. He didn't think his heart could take much more of this.

* * *

' _Your little scheme to bypass the present almost cost us our future!'_

I said I was sorry. I really am! I just need to think through things more is all...

_'No good comes from cockamamie schemes!'_

But that's what I'm good at.....Uncle Scrooge schemes all the time on adventures! And so do you!

Louie grabbed the lamp decorated to look like him from Dewey's Dew Night set and threw it into the closet. He added a glare for good measure since the Double Fake-Out hand't worked. In fact, he was already working up another plan. It took some practice but to all but Uncle Donald his impression was flawless. To bad they weren't here to see his amazing performance. He watched his reflection frown in the mirror, his mother's words from that night still ringing in his ears.

 _'Would you guys forgive me?'_

_'No....not this time....I had to watch your brothers disappear in a flash of lightning!'_

He still couldn't believe they went to the Big Rock Candy Mountain without him. That was the one adventure he'd been waiting for, for forever! And they just...left him behind...

"Scheme detected." Ugh, with this stupid robot. He's been trying to escape to make his way to the Mountain himself. But if he was being more realistic, the goal was now to escape before Gyro's robot could turn evil on him. Time for plan Huey...

"DT 87! It's me! Huey! Louie trapped me here and traded places with me!" Louie frantically waved his arms and made sure there was an appropriate amount of panic in his voice.

"Incoming call from Huey." The announcement could not have come at a worse time. Glaring at his brother his brain barely registered what he was saying.

"Nice going Huey!"

"....natural fresh Pep!" 

"Wait, what! Describe the flavor to me!" He launched himself at the robot through the red bars trapping him in his room; Just trying to get a good look at where they were. Good ol' Huey. He'd gladly take back every mean thing he ever thought or said. When you needed someone to come through for you, Huey was there everytime. His small moment of joy was wrenched away at the sight of his mother. 

"Describe NOTHING!" Yeesh, harsh.

"Wait!!" He shook the screen in a mix of desperation and anger.

"Look mom," Huey was pointing somewhere to his left. "There's the Hobo King!"

"And he's floating on a gold E-Z chair throne!" Awe, come on! That was just rubbing it in!

"Wait! You guys! Just turn the camera around!!" Neither family member paid him any attention and within the span of a second the screen went black.

"It's not fair!" Louie growled as he threw Huey's spare hat to the ground. Then kicked it for good measure. "What's so wrong with an innocent scheme?" He kicked his legs out from under him and plopped, uncaring to the floor.

"Accessing video..." Oh goodie, another pointless and hypocritical guilt trip. "Ethics is a concern about how your actions negatively affect those around you...."

_Yeah, sure. Just like you did..._

" _Listen_...your plans, your _schemes_ , they only lead to bad things for your family. And if you want to be a _part_ of this family...you gotta stop." The more his mother spoke, the smaller he felt. Louie hugged his knees to his chest, ready to lay his head in his lap and throw himself a pity party.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

The blue blur came out of nowhere, tackling DT 87 with a very familiar fury. Angry quacking accompanied the sounds of crunching metal. Like a strike of lightning a fist went through the wall on the side of his doorway. Louie could see through the hole in the wall that the hand was full of torn wires. Looking to the doorway he noticed that the bars were gone. He also scrambled out of the way to make room for his furious uncle.

Uncle Donald charged through the room like a raging bull, a crumpled robot sparking pitifully in his grip. In one smooth motion his uncle chucked the scrap heap out his open bedroom window. Wiped his hands together and closed the window.

"And STAY OUT! You no good evil...."

"Uncle Donald! You're back!" He hugged his uncle feircely. Now that his brain had caught up with events he was relieved to see his uncle again. Now things could get back to some semblance of normal. No more unfair punishments from his mother. Uncle Donald will help sort things out. 

"Louie! Oh," Donald stroked his hair and hugged him back. "I missed you too."

The tender moment was shattered by the peircing wail of the mansions defense system kicking on. Before they could make it to the window to see what was happening the whole house shook from a collision. Donald recovered first, his face falling at the sight outside.

"Not again." Donald muttered to himself quietly.

Louie's eyes widened. "Wait, what's going on. And what do you mean AGAIN!?"

 _Phooey_. Not quietly enough...apparently. Just **great**.


	5. Duck of All Trades

Donald heaved another sigh before taking off back down the hall. From what he could see, Uncle Scrooge's bet with Glomgold was coming to bite him in the ass. Except, Scrooge wasn't here which of course meant Donald had to take care of it. _Typical_.

Sliding to a halt, he hugged the corner wall by the main staircase hoping to sneak a peak to scope out the situation. He felt Louie brush his side as he caught up to his position. He snatched the duckling's hood and pulled him close before he could give away their location. They both leaned out carefully and watched as Duckworth roared at their unwanted guests to get out.

The only one who hadn't seen the demon banishing amulet coming was Duckworth.....well, and Louie. The sight of their last defense being hurled out of the mansion had him clinging tightly to his uncle. This was not good. He needed to get Louie out of here before he tried something that could get himself hurt. Not that Louie couldn't scheme his way out of this. Donald was certain the boy could outsmart all of the crooks present. But only at a hefty personal cost....or a double cross. The last thing he needed was all of Scrooge's enemies to declare vengeance on one of his babies. That was more stress than he cared for in his already stressful life, thank you.

"Louie," Donald's whisper made the duckling jump out of his skin. "I need you to head to uncle Scrooge's office and find his emergency help button. It's big and red."

"Right, emergency help button." Louie began backing up towards the stairs. "Big, red....I can do that."

As soon as he had taken off Donald turned back to the villains invading his uncle's home. Magica, Ma Beagle, Burger, Big Time, Bouncer, Mark Beaks, Glomgold and......a pirate? Why did that guy look familiar?

"Oh, Scroogy!" Glomgold called out trying to taunt someone who wasn't even here.

"I'm sorry, he's not home right now." He stepped out from the hall and descended the stairs. "But I'd be happy to take a message." 

"Oh, that'd be lovely. When he get's back tell him I.....wait a minute....." The old crazy, most certainly not scottish, duck carried on oblivious to the looks his....cohorts, were making. "What do ya mean he's not here?! Where is he!?"

"He's _out_." Donald kept his eyes trained on Magica and the Beagles, who were also eyeing him warily. " _What do you want?_ " Magica's weak, easy to take down. Beagles are familiar territory, he's fought with them since Grandpappy Beagle. Mark Beaks prefers to steal and let others do his dirty work, a pushover really. Glomgold was a joke which left.....Don Karnage. He thought he recognized that pirate. Well....this could complicate things.

"You said we'd be going after Scrooge you doofus, not his _nephew_!" Ma Beagle hissed at Flintheart interrupting whatever rant he was about to start.

"Nephew!?" The fake scot pulled out a photo. "I did nae get a nephew! You knew about him this whole time an did nae tell me?!"

Magica snatched the photo from his hands and tore it to peices. "Would you just _shut up_ already!? I can't believe I agreed to this! We were supposed to be enacting our revenge on Scrooge! Not..... _him_!" The witch stared at him hard, hatred burning in her eyes. "I am not prepared to battle _him_ , of all people. I'm leaving."

She turned on her heel with a hearty glare and marched out much to Glomgold's chagrin. His pleas fell on deaf ears.

"If she's leaving, so are we. Come on boys, we got better things to do." It was kind of sad really, to watch whatever kooky plan the billionaire thought up crumble before his eyes. Donald could hear the desperation in his voice as he begged them not to leave him. Yelling something about family and abandonment.

"Well, this was _fun_ while it lasted...." Beaks didn't even look up from his phone once.

"Really?" Flintheart clung to the parrot's legs, hopeful.

"No." He stepped out of the old duck's hold easily and walked out. 

This was going a lot better than he thought it would. Of course, Don Karnage was still eyeing him suspiciously. Hopefully he could get away without the sky pirate recognizing him. If not then he was screwed seven ways to Sunday.b

"Hey..." _No, please no_. "I know you." _Shit._

Donald merely held his ground and kept his poker face. Anything he said could and would be used against him. And he didn't need him to remember that he was the one that stole...

"Your the _thief_ who stole my favorite sword! The beautiful gold, ruby and emerald covered, wonderfully curved, polished to perfection piece of priceless art sword!" Never mind......he should've known that was only wishful thinking. "YOU!" The wolf drew his sword in rage. "I, Don Karnage, may not have my revenge on Dewey Duck. But I will gladly take my anger out _on you_! Calisota Drake.....EN GARDE!"

The only way to dodge the attack was to lunge backward away from the pirates reach. Without a sword of his own Donald was on defense, and there's not much you can do to defend yourself from a sword without one of your own. Or a shield, which was preferable.

The red wolf swung wildly, slashing almost blindly at him. He continued backward, hopping every now and then awkwardly to dodge the attacks. If he could just maneuver himself toward the fireplace....

Donald cried out as the villian's nicked his upper arm. "Got you!" The wound was small, but cuts were the worse. Which distracted him long enough to take a sock to the jaw that landed him on the floor. One lapse in concentration is all it takes, and then your down for the count.

"I've got you now." Karnage grinned viciously, blade pressed to his throat. "They said you could not be beaten, that you had survived the impossible. Which only goes to prove...."

That you shouldn't monologue when your opponent's down, cause it gives them time to kick you with their feet so they can lunge for the fire poker next to the fireplace. It wasn't the best substitute for a sword, but it works well in a pinch. Of course now there was cut across his collar bone, but hey, what's a one more scar?

He was up on his feet in seconds. And this time, he's on offense. He swung down hard aiming, not for the sword, but for the blasted wolf's hand. He drove the hook on the side of the poker through the flesh of Don Karnage's paw and yanked him forward. The pirate dropped his weapon, from shock or pain who knows, and stumbled forward from the force.

He yelped pathetically as Donald kicked his legs out from under him and put him in a sleeper hold. All the while glaring daggers at Glomgold, who for his part had stopped cheering Karnage on and instead was staring at the scene gobsmacked.

"You weren't in _need_ of him or anything, were you?" The wolf's thrashing began to slow and grow weak as he continued glaring at the duck who invaded his uncle's home. "I didn't think so." He felt his captive go limp so he dropped him into a crumpled heap on the floor.

"If I were you. I'd leave right _now_."


	6. Family Matters

Glomgold, wisely, chose to back away slowly out of the house. From the look on his face Donald figured he had no idea what was going on. _Good, let's keep it that way._

He took Karnage's sword and shredded one of the blankets off the couch. Using the strips he hog tied the pirate, then called the Duckburg police. Thankfully they were used to calls like this, though they had to transfer him to someone who could actually decipher what he was saying.

When he looked up from his call he saw Louie staring at him from the stairs. For a moment Donald worried he might have seen what happened between him and Karnage.

"Louie," Donald's soft call broke whatever trance Louie seemed to be in. "Are you okay?"

Louie finished coming down the rest of the stairs and stopped short from hugging his uncle. He continued to stare at the ground. Donald waited for him to finish thinking. He could see the wheels in his head turning furiously.

"He called you Calisota Drake. _Why_?" Louie looked up at him, accusation in his eyes.

_Oh, boy. To tell the truth, or not to tell the truth..._

"Louie.....I...well." He let out a tired breath and kneeled; Hand on his baby's shoulder. "You know how Scrooge is....if I wanted to do any adventuring on my own I couldn't let him catch wind of it. He'd whine for months." Both he and Louie groaned at the thought.

"So, you what...created a new identity just so you could adventure solo? Is that it? I thought you hated adventures?" The duckling eyed him suspiciously.

"More or less." He shrugged the scrutiny off. "I wanted to do my own thing, without being Scrooge McDuck's nephew. So I used the name Calisota Drake to do what I wanted."

_Which was mostly true...._

"Cool," The positive exclamation caught Donald off guard. "So, do you like, have any major treasure finds under your belt or.....?"

He chuckled at Louie fondly and ruffled his feathers. Which Louie of course, batted his hands away playfully.

"How about something to eat? I don't know how your mother expected you to eat while being trapped in your room." The thought brought a sour look to his face. "Come on, I'll make some grilled cheese and tomato soup."

"Without the crusts?" Louie smiled at his uncle.

"With cream cheese in the soup and mozzarella in the sandwich."  
"Mmm, I do _love_ that creamy goodness." He watched the ducklings gaze drift toward the villain stilled tied up on the floor. "What about him?"

"I already called the police, so they should be here any..." The door's chime echoed through the entry way. "That should be them, I'll handle this and then I'll meet you in the kitchen, okay?"

"Sure thing." He watched his uncle and smiled to himself. Uncle Donald will help fix things, then everything will go back to normal. No more 'trying too hard' mother's and unfair punishments. He may even get Louie Inc. back.

The rest of the day passed by quietly. They had their soup and sandwiches and talked about why he was locked in his room. Louie knew he couldn't get away without admitting what he had done. Re hashing the events brought up another wave of guilt and his mother's pointed and harsh words.

"Louie," He felt calloused hands on his face, wiping tears away. "Louie, listen to me." Louie did and found his uncle staring at him intently. "Louie, what you did was wrong. I know you now this. But your mother was only half right. I definitely would have grounded you....but you should have never been left home alone. Your schemes, your ideas....they're so very clever and I'm so proud of what you can do. You just need to be more careful with them."

"I know, I didn't mean to cause trouble I just..." Donald pulled him into a hug, shushing him.

"I _know_ Louie," He continued rubbing the duckling's back. "I know you would never mean to....you just need to be _more careful_."

They stayed like that for awhile, just enjoying the other's company and the comfort it brought them. After an hour or so Duckworth came back. He eyed Donald and the house suspiciously but after making sure everything was fine he took off to who knows where, leaving them be.

Then they moved to the living room for a movie and Uncle Donald made hot cocoa, not without burning himself of course. It was a good day, mostly. Unfortunately, someone once said 'all good things must come to an end', which is stupid. I mean, who makes up sayings just to ruin other peoples lives? Truth not withstanding.

Their movie had just ended when they heard the sound of the Cloudchaser landing in the yard. The rest of the family was home. The realization made Louie tense up unconsciously. He relaxed when he felt a warm hand start to rub circles on his back.

"It's alright Louie," His uncle whispered. "I'll handle this. Why don't you head on up to your room?"

"Okay." He slipped of the couch. "Thanks uncle Donald."

"Anytime kiddo."

Louie had no intention of heading all the way to his room. He camped out on the stairs, waiting for the storm to come.

Donald had wondered for the last decade what he would say to his sister if she were to bust her way back into his life. He would scream at her, that was a definite, but what would he say? While on the moon he had time to come to terms with the fact that she was alive, and had been stranded. Then of course he was thrown straight back into having to clean up her mess, just like old times.

Now, he had to confront her about what she had done. He was nervous he wouldn't have any back up. Clearly Beakley and Scrooge agreed to the lock up punishment. Donald wasn't sure about Beakley, but he knew Scrooge, and his uncle never did anything like that to them. So where on earth had Della come up with the idea and thought it was okay to do to a child?

Hearing his family grow nearer, Donald squared his shoulders and prepared for the ensuing fight. And he was determined to win.  
Della was the first to come through the door. She hit it like a bullet train, the door's hinges rattling as it bounced off the wall.

"Come on kids the show starts in a half hour!" She was staring over her shoulder and running without looking in her excitement. "We gotta get the popcorn star....Donald!"

She nearly ran him over but he held his ground, used to the calamity that is Della. 

" _We need to talk_."

"Boy I'll say! You got lousy timing," 

"Della..."

"I mean what else is new, but leaving just as I get here? Come on Don,"

" _Della_..."

"It's nice to know you haven't changed, _you know_ I love you just the way you are..."

"DELLA!"

" _What_!? Yeesh what did I do?"

Donald growled to himself and rubbed a hand over his face. "We need to talk about Louie."

She paused for a moment before continuing. "Ooooooh. Yeah, no need bro. This _awesome_ mom right here already took care of it. Like a pro, BOOM!"

"No, Della, you didn't. In fact you handled it very poorly."

"What are you talking about?" Della's voice became defensive. 

Before Donald could continue the rest of the family came through the door and he became swarmed with three excited ducklings  
"Uncle Donald! You're back!" Huey dove for the first hug. "Uncle Donald you won't believe the fun we've had..." Webby shoved drawings and souvenirs in his face. "Isn't mom AMAZING uncle Donald!" Dewey gushed while squirming in his hold.

He was so focused on the children in front of him he didn't notice the jealous look cross his sister's face.

"That's great kids, I'm glad you guys had fun while I was gone." He smiled warmly at them. "But I need to talk to your mother alone, okay?"

Huey was the first to react. "OH, of course! I bet you two have a lot of catching up to do." He grabbed Webby and Dewey by their shirts and dragged them off, though they protested loudly.  
"What do you mean, I didn't handle it? I handled it fine! Kid was naughty, so mom punished him. I grounded him for like, _a week_ and then sent him to his room. That's like the most _typical_ punishment you can give a kid." She waved her arms frantically, annoyance rolling off her in waves.

"It's not the punishment per se, it's what you said to him." Donald was afraid that she was projecting her ideals of what she wants her kids to be onto who they actually are.

"What's all the yelling about...oh," Scrooge stopped in the doorway and stared at the twins. "Right, well. I suppose you two have a lot to discuss." He stared for another moment at them. "I'll uh, just be going then." Scrooge walked out awkwardly. Donald was about to continue when he popped his head back into the entry way. "Oh, and welcome home boy-o."

"I meant what I said and what I said is true. What's your problem?" Della huffed crossing her arms.

"You told him that if he wanted to be a part of this family, then he couldn't do what he loves best! His schemes aren't the problem Della, even me and you used to sneak around and scheme and do dumb stuff all the time. Telling Louie that he couldn't scheme is like telling you you're not allowed to fly! It's a part of who he is Della!"

She growled right back at him. "No it's not! His schemes are nothing like flying!"

"That's not my point!"

"He almost cost us everything! I had to watch Huey and Dewey get taken away from me by a flash of lightning!"

"That's not Louie's fault! He is just as much your son as the other two!"

"You know what! I'm not sorry. It's called tough love okay?! Maybe you'd know a thing or two about it if you were actually around to help Scrooge raise the boys instead of off on some _stupid_ self indulgent **cruise**!"

The silence that ensued was deafening. Neither twin was willing to back down from their side of the argument and Della's accusation not only showed her ignorance, but had Donald's anger rising hotter than it's been in a while. It hurt, like a knife to the heart, that she thought so little of him. But more than that, he was _done_.

Donald sucked in a breath, wrestling his emotions under control as best he could. Normally he wouldn't care what he yelled at his sister, they had a 'I yell at you you yell at me fair's fair' sort of relationship. But after everything else he's gone through, he doesn't have much fight left. He needs to pick and choose his battles carefully. He didn't want to lose his family.

"Fine." He gritted out through clenched teeth before turning on his heel and walking away from her. He needed to cool down, now.


	7. Breaking News

The rest of Donald's evening was spent packing up his stuff from the house boat. Despite her mistakes Donald still wanted to give Della the time she needed to learn how to be a good mom. It was only fair she learned like every parent. With contradicting advice and by making mistakes. He trusted his boys not to get into to much trouble and they were good about taking care of themselves. She had Beakley and Scrooge in case something major would happen.

Of course none of these thoughts would keep him from worrying and coming back a few times a week to check in on them. Plus with his new phone he'd be able to call them everyday. He just didn't want to interfere with the boys getting to know their mother. After all, it was only fair that Della get the chance to be the mother she was supposed to be, that the boys have the mother they were supposed to have. Not some silly boring uncle.

With his anger drained out of him now he focused on his plans for the future. Since he can't move the house boat and the Institute provides housing, he planned on turning it into a kind of clubhouse for the kids. He just needed to remove his emergency stash from the floorboards.  
Then next week he had plans with Goofy, who asked him to come by the house for dinner. Max was home from college and he was looking forward to seeing the two Goofs. Of course if Goofy had his way, then the rest of the gang would probably show up. It would be good to see them. It's been too long. He really should have done this sooner.

Donald stood and straightened up, stretching out his back. It cracked with a few satisfying pops and he let out tired sigh. He was almost done, now all he needed to do was haul these things out to his car. Ugh, the one time the Lieutenant's not actually around when he needs her.

"Uncle Donald, where are you going?" The voice was quiet and startled him badly.

He turned sharply around to find Louie with his hood up staring at him forlornly. Guilt hit Donald like a truck and he had to remind himself that he wasn't leaving them. He would never. He's just backing up a little; Giving them space is all.

"Louie, you scared me." He held a hand over his heart. "What's wrong?"

" _Where are you going_?" Louie insisted.

"I got a new job. It pays well but it's on the other side of Duckburg. It costs too much to drive out there every morning, not to mention I won't get much sleep trying to get there in time." Donald sat down at the table and Louie walked over to join him. "So, I'm moving into the Institute's provided housing."

"WHAT?!" Louie slammed his hands down on the table. "We're _moving_!?"

"No," He explained calmly. " _I'm_ moving. It's just across town..."

"Without us? You're just leaving?" The duckling sounded heartbroken and betrayed. "If this is about the argument with mom we're on your side. And by _we_ I mean...."

"NO, no. It's not because of that. It's not because of you boys....well it is. You deserve to get to know your mother without me getting in the way."

Louie barked out a harsh laugh. "Yeah, been there, done that. Like seriously, for months. I think I know her _plenty_."

"Louie, be nice. I know things are hard, but you can't..."

"I know, I know. You can't control other people, you can only control yourself. So I should be polite and get to know her blah blah blah. I know it's just...." He pulled his hood tighter around him.

"I think you and I know more than anyone that life's not fair. Not just to me, but to her too. She's still a person, who makes mistakes and does stupid stuff. The important thing is she's trying and she'll get better, but _only_ with practice. She loves you more than anything."

"Well she's got a funny way of showing it."

"Well she was raised by uncle Scrooge."

"So were you." 

_Not really, but I can't tell you that..._

"Can't you just free load off of uncle Scrooge or something? You don't have to go." Donald wanted to give in to the request. Especially since Louie so openly made it. But he was resolute in his decision. He was about to sooth over the duckling's worries when he heard Della call him from outside.

"LOUIE, DINNER!" Louie scoffed and hunkered down into the seat further as if to hide. "AND YOU BETTER NOT BE LATE OR I'LL SEND DUCKWORTH AFTER YOU." He only grumbled more; Yanking his hood all the way down over his face.

"Go on Louie," Donald stood up and motioned for him to do the same. "You need to eat."

"We can eat in here." 

"Louie, I've been gone for _months_. The first thing I cleaned out was the fridge and the cupboards. Everything spoiled."

"I'll sneak you some food from inside."

"Out from under the nose of a ghost demon _and_ former spy?"

Louie growled again, stubbornly refusing to budge. So Donald switched tactics.

"We've already had one explosion today kiddo. We don't need another one." He laid his hand on Louie's shoulder. "Please? You don't have to say anything."

Louie let out a sigh and pulled back his hood. "You're sure this job is set in stone?"

"Yes, Louie."

" _ **Fine**_. I'll go in for dinner."

* * *

Dinner was....tense and quiet. at least for Louie it was, his mother on the other hand was animatedly re-telling him what a wonderful time they had on their latest adventure. He couldn't stand it.

 _You don't have to say anything_...

Uncle Donald's right, he would just keep his mouth shut.

"You should have seen it! It was amazing!" Della finally noticed his silence, causing her to lose some steam. "You know, you could have been there with us. I hope you learned your lesson."

 _Yeah, I did_.... _never let uncle Donald leave_....

His frown deepened. His uncle was leaving again anyway for his new job. He stabbed a piece of broccoli and stared at it. Uncle Scrooge is rich, the house had plenty of rooms, Beakley cooks for all of them.....why couldn't he stay? Was the house and money extended only to them? Why did uncle Donald still have bills? Scrooge wasn't that cheap....was he?

"So," Della continued on. "What did you _do_ while we were gone?"

 _Are you serious? Really great question there mother. Oh, I had a wonderful time, being trapped in my room like some damsel in distress. Then uncle Donald came in to save the day, twice! Oh, uncle Scrooge while you were gone Glomgold and some friends stopped by to see you and uncle Donald had this epic sword fight with a sky pirate_....

An idea came to mind suddenly, Louie almost dropped his fork from the thought. "Uh, hey uncle Scrooge?" Everyone stopped eating at the address and stared at him.

"Yes?" Scrooge tilted his head to the side, curious.

"Have you ever heard of a guy named Calisota Drake?"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!" The squeal caught everyone off guard and they rushed to cover their ears. Webigail, however was too excited to notice the piercing noise coming from her own beak.

"You know about Calisota drake?!" He had to yell over the noise.

"Who the heck is....." Dewey didn't even get to finish.

"Calisota Drake is one of the greatest adventurers of ALL TIME! Outside of the Duck\McDuck family of course." She tacked on that last bit apologetically. "He once found a cursed gold statue that turned out to be a sarcophagus made to seal a deadly disease!" She pulled a book out from under the table and flipped it open. "I have a running theory that Calisota was just what people who didn't recognize him, called Scrooge."

Louie eyed Webby's journal and tossed the idea of correcting her around. They had promised no more family secrets, no more lying. Except, uncle Donald didn't lie, well he didn't lie about the whole Drake thing. He totally lied about the help button in Scrooge's study. He told Louie when he asked him about the Drake thing though, he just didn't tell him everything. What on earth did his uncle do before they were born?!

As he mulled over whether to tell them about what he found out, he half heartedly listened to Webby ramble on and ask Scrooge about his whereabouts during her favorite Drake adventures. Scrooge would mumble something about the events sounding familiar, which was as good as solid gold proof for Webby.

"Louie!" Uncle Scrooge's voice broke through his musings.

"Hmm, what?"

Scrooge frowned at him. "I _said_ , why did you want to know?"

"Oh, I..." _Lie or truth? Lie or truth? Lie or truth?_ "I was reading...yeah, and Drake was mentioned. His adventures sounded familiar so...just curious." He shrugged and went back to scowling at his dinner.

His brothers gave him suspicious looks but no one said anything so he counted it as a win. So dinner continued on awkwardly. At least until uncle Donald walked in.

"There you are lad," Scrooge broke the silence first. "It's about time. Any longer and I'd've gone out and dragged you in myself. Your meatloaf is getting cold."

In respons Donald simply sat down and nibbled off a few things on his plate to escape srutiny. He wasn't really hungry.

"Soooo," Huey pushed his potatoes around his plate. "How was the cruise?"

A tired smile crawled across Donald's face. It's now or never, he might as well tell them.

"I got some important news for you boys." He set his fork down and took a deep breath. "I got a new job."

"Cool, where is it?" Huey gave him a thumbs up. "Okay." Dewey was a little less enthusiastic. Louie just sat quietly, still frowning.

"I'll be starting tomorrow...at the New Quackmore Institute."

Huey frowned. "But, that's all the way _across town_. When will you even find time to sleep?"

Here goes nothing. "Actually, that's why I'll be moving to the institute itself. I'll be on call constantly so this will just be easier."  
All three of the kid's faces fell with frowns on their beaks and creases of worry on their brows. Worst of all Della seemed to be glaring daggers at him.

"On call for what? I mean, it's great you got a job and all but, what are you doing exactly?" Huey wrung his hands together nervously. It was usually his job to make sure uncle Donald was ready of a morning for work and interviews and now he's moving away? Without them?

"I'll be categorizing their eclectic exhibits and basic maintenance. Not many people are qualified for the the area's of expertise they need."

"Okay, that's....nice, but-" 

"But what about our adventures?" Dewey interrupted his older brother. "Mom's back now, we can all go together."

"I have my phone on me. You can call me whenever you like. And I'll be dropping by the mansion every other day or so to check in." He was quick to remind them he would always come when called. "Besides, I can get a few days off for an adventure or two, I'm sure."

They looked like they wanted to protest, but Donald had raised them to understand the importance of a job and independence. They nodded slowly, accepting the fact that he was moving away. It was only for a little bit though, never for very long and never for forever. At the most he would only ever be a phone call away. He just had to remind himself of that, he wasn't leaving; He was just making space for another family member, that's all.

"Can I come with you?" Every pair of eyes landed on Louie at the quiet inquiry.

"Louie," Donald held back his sigh. He wished they could all come with him. "We talked about this..."

"I know," He sat up straighter in his seat. "But, if you move out on your own, who's gonna help you get un-stuck when you iron your clothes every morning? Who's gonna be your translator when no one can understand you? Who's gonna call 911 when you can't reach the phone after you catch your shirt sleeve on fire while making dinner?"

Donald wished Louie was exaggerating for once. "Louie you need..."

"Please uncle Donald?" He held his hands in front of him clasped, giving his uncle his best pouty face. "You said it yourself, you'd be around every other day or so, so I won't miss out on adventures. _Please_?"

Donald's resolve was crumbling and quickly. He was about to make one last effort to dissuade Louie (after considering all the possible outcomes, he didn't think any of the boys would want to come with him) when Della, shockingly, interjected.

"I think that's great!" Everyone turned to stare at her. "What? I _do_." She rolled her eyes. "I think it's great you want to go with your uncle to help him. That's a very selfless thing to do Louie. I think some of us should learn to do the same thing."

Louie ignored the obvious shot at uncle Donald. "So I can go?" Della nodded emphatically. He looked to Scrooge who seemed, conflicted, but nodded none the less. And then to uncle Donald.

"If that's what you want, then of course you can come." Louie fist pumped in success. "Remember, you can move back into the mansion anytime you want, okay?"

Della huffed but thankfully held back whatever retort was on her tongue.

"When do we leave?"

"After your finished with dinner."

Louie quickly shoved the rest of the meatloaf into his mouth, then a few bites of mashed potatoes and the rest of his broccoli. He washed it down with his glass of milk.

"May I be excused?" He grabbed his plate and glass. "Great thanks, I gotta pack. Bye."

It took a moment, but soon Huey, Dewey and Webby had done the same so they could follow after Louie. He's just as confused as they are about the whole thing. He didn't blame them.


	8. Assumptions and Corrections

When the kids vacated the table they left behind a high concentration of ire and tangible awkwardness. Donald tried to ignore it all, bwtween the heated stare of his sister which contrasted strangely with the confused one his uncle was shooting them both.

"Are you two going to make up any time soon? Or do I need to lock you in a room again?" Scrooge said half joking half serious.

Della snorted. "There's no point uncle Scrooge. Don won't see reason."

Scrooge's eyes widened, shocked at the accusation. He looked to Donald for some hint of what she was talking about. Donald just ate his Meatloaf slowly, he didn't want to say something he regretted.

So many accusations were on the tip of his tongue. So much anger built up from years of loneliness and feelings of abandonment. He blamed his sister for so long for leaving, and then Scrooge for shutting him out during his insane bout with grief. Now it wasn't just about leaving, now it was about the mess she left on the moon, the mess she made here and the way she's treating Louie. 

Donald was conflicted about letting his youngest come with him. On one hand he was overjoyed to know that he wanted to come, that he worried for him. But why would Della let him go so easily? She just got back and she's willing to part with Louie like it's nothing? _Why_?

"Why did you encourage Louie to go?"

* * *

Della couldn't _believe_ her brother. First he dumps her kids on uncle Scrooge and expects him to do everything himself, then he goes on some high end cruise and now he has the _audacity_ to tell her how to parent! He doesn't even know the first thing about kids! Sure, she's not perfect. She never said she was. But SHE was their mother, and those kids were now _her responsibility_ and she wasn't about to let her hot headed twin rub her beak in something that was none of his business!

"Are you two going to make up any time soon? Or do I need to lock you in a room again?" Scrooge said half joking half serious.

Della snorted. "There's no point uncle Scrooge. Don won't see reason." She knew her brother. When he got all high and mighty like this, there was no arguing with him. He thought he was right and therefore everyone else is wrong. You just can't argue with people like that.

While she didn't want her kids to grow up without their uncle Donald, her brother was awesome she could admit and she loved him to the moon and back (literally), she wasn't about to let him boss her around like when they were younger. She's an _adult_ , a _mother_. She's DELLA DUCK! She could handle this just fine.

"Why did you encourage Louie to go?" The sudden question broke through her thoughts.

"What?" _Seriously? That's what he's concerned about?_ "Seriously? Let me guess. Having a kid around will mess up your schedule? Ruin your nap time? Or heaven forbid he makes a mess!?"

"That's not what I meant at all! Just answer the damn question!"

"Because he's not in trouble anymore! He looked like he really wanted to spend time with you! I got a 'cool mom' reputation to uphold, so why not?! Take your pick!" _Yeesh, her brother has really changed_.

"Della lass..." Scrooge tried to interrupt them.

"What's the matter Donald? Is not being able to run from responsibility hampering your carefree life?"

"Della!" Scrooge faltered; Unsure of how to handle Della, without admitting what had happened. Bless his nephew, he was keeping such a tight lid on his anger.

"On the contrary. I'm glad that Louie wants to come with me." Somehow he managed to keep from yelling, though you could see a nerve twitching in his jaw from how hard his teeth are clenched. "I just figured, with you fresh back from being stuck on the moon for a decade you wouldn't want to let any of those boys out of your sight. I know I wouldn't."

Della's nostril's flared. She slammed her hands on the table, causing her milk to spill, and stood. "Are you accusing me of being a bad mother?" A harsh laugh left her mouth. "That's rich coming from you! You haven't done a damn thing for those boys!"

Scrooge couldn't take the guilt any longer. The last thing he wanted was his mistakes to drive his nephew away, again. 

"THAT'S ENOUGH DELLA!" He slammed his cane on the table, narrowly missing Della's fingers.

"You always take his side!!" She roared back at him undaunted.

"Only when he's right!"

"So what? I'm always wrong, is that it?!" 

"That's not-I didn't..." Scrooge backpedaled for a moment before he continued. "Just sit down and listen! You don't have all the facts lass!"

Della did as she was told, but not without a hot glare to both Scrooge and Donald. They were ganging up on her again.

"Lass..." Scrooge sighed. The breath taking what little ire and fight he had away. How do you say it? There's no good way...to admit he was..." I had _no part_ in raising those boys."

"Wait, what?" The admission shocked Della out of her anger. "But...if you didn't then who-"

"After the whole.... _incident_..." Scrooge had to get this out now. It wasn't fair that his nephew had to take this beating for him. "I-well..." He cleared his voice and started over. "I blamed myself for everything. After all....it was _my fault_. I should've waited. I should've known you wouldn't have the patience to _wait_. I should've listened to Donald.... _I should've done a lot of things_."

Della wasn't sure where uncle Scrooge was going with this, but her and Donald both sat gobsmacked and silent. They let him continue.

"I spent every waking hour trying to find you....trying to get you back....for the boys, for Donald...... _for me_." Scrooge stared at the table and willed his voice not to waver. "I neglected everything..... _everyone_...trying to find you. I shut them all out......by the time I gave up...." Tears gathered in his eyes. Admitting you were wrong was tough, but admitting you gave up on family. It was about ready to break his heart all over again.

"Donald had taken the boys and left. I was so mad....so, _so_....." _Come on Scrooge_. "I did'nae mean to push you away lad. Though now I understand... _why_ you felt the need to leave....but...I felt so _betrayed_ and.....heartbroken...I kept all of your letters...and the pictures you sent me. I'm sorry, I did'nae pull my noggin out of my tail feathers sooner."

The twins were speechless, for two different reasons. An admission and apology in one day? Donald raised her boys? By himself?  
Donald stood up abruptly. "Who are you, and what have you done with my uncle Scrooge?"

"Ach, I know I know. That's enough emotion for today," He wiped his eyes and squared his shoulders. "But it had to be said."

The sailor made his way to his uncle's end of the table. "We all know how much you hate admitting you're wrong." He laid a hand on the older duck's shoulder.

"Aye, but you do what you have to... _for family._ " Donald pulled Scrooge into an embrace, startling the scot. Scrooge tried to hide the smile on his face. "All right, there there. That's enough now." He hugged his nephew back fiercely, showing no signs of letting go. "We do have another matter entirely to discuss."


	9. More Secrets

Louie rushed up the stairs for once, not out of excitement but because he knew his brothers and Webby would be hot on heels. They'll want to question him about why he wants to go. Dewey may even try and stop him. So he had to get back to his room fast and start packing. Once he hit the door he didn't dare slow down. He grabbed a duffel out of the closet and began shoving spare hoodies, a coat, some sock, two pairs of shoes....should he pack a hat and scarf? Maybe some underwear in case he needs pants?

"Dude!" Dewey scared the feathers off him. "What was _that_?"

"What was _what_?" He ignored his brothers and Webby, deciding to stuff as much as he can into the duffel.

Dewey grabbed the duffel off the bed and threw it on the floor.

"Hey! I'm packing here."

"Yea, I noticed." Dewey deadpanned. "What's up with you?"

"I just...I'm worried about uncle Donald is all." Louie crossed his arms defensively.

While Dewey was unmoved, Huey made his way forward.

"While I can certainly relate to the feeling, I think what Dewey _means_ to say is, why are you leaving to go with uncle Donald-"

"When we have our mom right here?" Dewey interjected.

Louie frowned. "Ya know, I'm happy for you. I really am. It's great that you get along with her so well," _After all you're exactly alike_. "But I don't. Alright? Besides, with me gone both of you will have more of her for yourselves. So what's your problem?"

Dewey's scowl deepened. "Maybe because she just got back and your leaving? It's like you're not even trying to bond or spend time with her!"

"I'm going with uncle Donald. That's not leaving, and she gave me _permission_ to go anyway. So leave me alone." He snatched the duffel from the floor and began angrily stuffing his clothes back in it.

His brothers were silent and Webby just watched it all, so unsure of what to do or say. Huey stood there feeling guilty. On one hand he was happy to have his mom, maybe not as much as Dewey who seemed to revolve around her. But he also understood how Louie felt.

For a long time it was just them and uncle Donald. And hearing his mom go after his uncle like that was enough to make all three of them mad. But Dewey brushed it off quickly, saying she simply didn't know and that uncle Donald would correct her. He sided with mom. Louie obviously sided with uncle Donald. If Huey wasn't so determined to keep the peace he would have too, but doing so doesn't help anyone. Not that he was being much help now.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Huey couldn't help but ask.

Louie finally got the duffel bag zipped and was pulling it out the door. "Yeah, I'm sure. Besides," He stopped for a breath. "Uncle Donald said we'd drop by like, every other day. It'll be like I haven't even left."

As he began pushing his bag, trying to get better leverage, he thought about Calisota Drake and why he didn't tell his brothers about what he heard.

_Calisota Drake is one of the greatest adventurers of all time!!_

He reminded himself that they chose to stay with mom, while he went with uncle Donald. It was only fair he got to discover any secret things about him. And maybe, he could learn how to step out like his uncle did. If Karnage's outrage and Webby's outlandish legends were anything to go by, then his uncle had quite a few stories to tell. Strangely, he was looking forward to uncovering them.

* * *

Della stared at her brother, beak open in shock.

Donald raised the boys, by himself, without Scrooge's help. At all. But....then....and she said....

"I'M AN ASSHOLE!!!!!!" The swelling guilt and shame consumed her. 

"Language!" Donald hollered back immediately before he caught an armful of distressed sister. 

She didn't mean to! If she had known she would have hugged him as soon as she'd seen him. Thanked him for doing what she couldn't, for being awesome....like he always is. She couldn't believe she had thought that her brother, mister discipline, responsibility and rules had.....she couldn't even think it anymore.

"I'm sorry!" She practically yelled into his shoulder. "I didn't mean to. You know that if _I_ had known I wouldn't have _thought_ what I shouldn't have thought, _honest_!" 

Donald sighed. "I know Della."

"Why didn't you tell me before!?" She pulled back to look at him.

"It was a lot to explain. Besides, I know you. You won't listen to anyone once you've made up you're mind." He spun her hat around on her head like he used to. "You're too stubborn. And you haven't changed a bit. You're still my annoying little sister."

She straightened her hat around. " _By two minutes!_ "

They smiled at each other, used to the fast turn around in emotions. It was just like old times.

"Glad to see you two getting along." Scrooge interjected. "But I was serious when I said we had something else to discuss." They kept quiet and waited for him to continue. "Are you _sure_ you should be working again so soon lad? You just got back home."

"I thought it through and before you say anything, it's for the boys. I'll be in and out as often as possible to see them, but I wanted to give them time to get to know Della, without me in the way. Della deserves a chance at learning to be a mom."

"I REALLY _AM_ AN ASSHOLE!!"

" _LANGUAGE_!" 

Della clamped a hand over her beak and Donald rolled his eyes. Trust his sister to turn an apology into some overly dramatic, and somehow comedic situation.

"You really planned on doing that for me?"

"Of course, their your boys..."

"Don I-"

"But I need you to understand." Della shut her beak again. "After ten years, they're _my_ boys too Della. They always will be."

Della....could live with that. Kids had two parents anyway right? "That's cool. I'll be the cool mom and you'll be the awesome dad!" She gave him jazz hands to show her enthusiasm.

Donald cringed and gave her a pointed look. Her hands fell and she gagged.

"Eeeeeeww! No, just no. Not like that! Not what I meant! Forget I said anything!"

If the thought hadn't also disgusted him he would have laughed at her. He missed this, this stupidity, this craziness that is Della.

"I'm ready...to go...uncle Donald." Louie walked into dining room and collapsed, groaning to himself. " _Oh boy_."

"Need some help there bud?" Della was quick to scoop him up and Donald could see the duckling tense from the unexpected contact. It was going to take Louie longer to warm up to Della than his brother's, but that was okay. It reminded him a lot of himself when he first moved into the mansion.

"I got it, mostly. I just need some help putting it in the car." Louie squirmed out of her arms and back to the ground.

"All right I got it." She tried to heft the duffel but found it was a little too difficult. "What the heck! Did you pack you're entire room?"

"I got it Dells." He came up behind her and grabbed the duffel easily and hefted it over his shoulder. "Why don't you tell uncle Scrooge and your mom goodbye and I'll put this in the car."

Louie frowned but did as told.

The goodbye's were short and full of mixed emotions, but Donald promised they'd be back by the house in a couple of days. Della waved goodbye to them with a smile on her face, the rest of the family however seemed...less than thrilled.

The ride was only around a half hour, so Louie popped his headphones on and enjoyed the ride. He wondered to himself what living with uncle Donald by himself would be like? Adventurous certainly, just not the way his brothers seemed to want. More like a safe kind of adventurous. With his uncle's luck he never really knew what was going to happen, but he knew it was going to be safer than the treasure hunts Scrooge took them on.

He felt uncle Donald park the car so he pulled his headphones off and put them away. He readied himself for whatever rundown shack the Institute decided to give his uncle. What he found was exactly as he imagined it. It was a one room hut decorated with masks and odd treasures of the normal variety no doubt. The door was clearly broken and the roof probably leaked, it being straw and all. Yep, exactly what he expected. Whelp, it was home now.

He followed his uncle toward the house at a slow pace. Not really paying attention, he was confused when he made it to the door and realized uncle Donald was nowhere in sight. 

"Louie, where are you?"

Louie followed the sound of his uncle's through the bamboo surrounding the little rundown building. On the other side he spied Uncle Donald in the doorway of a gigantic house somewhat hidden behind the greenery, with their luggage in hand.

"Wait, we're gonna live _HERE_!?"


	10. Surprise

Louie's jaw dropped as he walked into the mansion. He followed his uncle through a side door the led into a decent sized kitchen. From there they walked out into a hall that connected the kitchen to what looked like a sitting room, maybe a living room? They went down the hall, up the stairs, past an office that seemed to be missing a door, to a room two doors down from the office. Uncle Donald opened the door and quickly went in to set Louie's duffel on the full sized bed.

The room was painted a neutral off-white with gold trimmings on both the top and bottoms of the walls. There was a writing desk across from the bed, two bedside tables with lamps, an enormous closet, a dresser taller than he was and a fancy crimson colored oriental rug in the middle of the floor that matched the covers on the bed.

"THIS!?" Louie did a three sixty to take the room in. "This is my ROOM?!"

Donald smiled at him, trying to hold back a laugh from the look on is face.

"Yes Louie," He put his hands on his back and stretched. "You'll have to share a bathroom with me though, it's the door between this room and mine."

"The room with the broken door?" Louie frowned. "Your not gonna get in trouble for that are you?" They were here for two minutes and something was already broken? Louie hoped his uncle would be able to fix the door before anyone from the Institute notices. From the looks of things his uncle has it really good here and it would be far more unfair than just his regular luck if he lost the most amazing job before he could even get started.

"I sure hope not." The voice of an unknown woman behind him made him swing around in a panic. "Uncle Donald isn't someone you want to make an enemy out of."

The duck before him was as tall as his uncle, with short hair lightly curled to one side. She had on a yellow short sleeved top and denim skirt. 

"Who are you?" Louie's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And how do you know uncle Donald?"

"Awe, come on Louie. You don't remember me?" The woman grinned at him, reminding him a little of Goldie.

"No. Should I?" He put his hands in his hoodie pocket and raised one eyebrow at her.

Uncle Donald came between them. "April where are your sisters?"

There were more of them? What?

"They're downstairs." She answered while still looking at Louie. "Didn't think you'd be bringing back one of the boys."

"Ok, seriously. Who are you?"

Neither uncle or...April? Answered. Instead his uncle seemed to signal her to leave with a nod of his head. He then went to the door and calmly shut it. Uncle Donald turned back around and made his way to the bed where he had left Louie's duffel and began to unpack it. Slowly he folded the crumpled clothes he pulled out.

"Louie," He began hesitantly. "Why did you want to come with me? I'm happy you wanted to, but you could've stayed at the mansion with uncle Scrooge and your mom." He took a pile of folded shirts and walked over to the dresser. "Are you uncomfortable with your mom?"

Louie looked down at his feet and shuffled them a little. "I just.." Trust his uncle to ask the difficult questions. "Everything's changing...I don't like it! At first it was just with uncle Scrooge and learning how to go on adventures. Then it turned into trying to find out what happened to mom....I never knew what to think about her." Louie flopped onto his back on the bed. "Dewey? He idolizes her...he thinks she's perfect! Always has, even before we met her. Huey, I never know what Huey's really thinking half the time."

He felt the weight of his uncle dip the bed beside him. "What about you?"

What about him? "At first, I didn't know. The way you and Dewey made it sound...it sounded like someone had taken her from us. But after finding out what really happened..." He could still recall the indignation that flared up when he first heard the story from his great uncle. "She left. That's all there was to the story. She did something stupid...thinking about no one but herself."

He rolled over and laid his head in his uncles lap. "And now she's back and trying to boss us around like she never even left...she didn't even apologize for what she did. She just gave us presents and sweets like she was trying to bribe us into liking her." Among other things...

"Uncle Donald..." Louie looked up and asked his uncle quietly. "I don't want her to be my mom. Does that make me a bad person?"

"Louie," Donald pulled him up and into a proper hug. "Of course not." He started rubbing his back. "Your relationship with her is complicated. Everyone's relationship with her right now is complicated. I only ask that you get to know her, that you give her a chance to be family. But you can't force it, and it doesn't come over night. No matter how much it already looks like her and Dewey get along, they'll still have stuff to work through too."

Donald pulled back to look Louie in the eyes. "And if you still don't want her to be your mom, that's okay. But Louie remember, she's still family."

Louie sniffed back the tears that had gathered in his eyes and nodded. He understood. Della may never be his mom, but she was his mother, his family. Their relationship would just be different. And that's ok.

"Thanks uncle Donald," Suddenly Louie smiled and looked back up. "Now, it's your turn."

Donald felt a swell of exasperated fondness. His nephew was downright cheeky, and he loved every bit of him. "Fine. Fair is fair." He stood up with Louie in his arms and re-situated the duckling and himself so he was propped up at the head of the bed. "It's a long story, I'm not sure where to start."

"Start with how you met them."

"Well, I was dating their aunt at the time..."

"Wait, seriously?" Donald gave him a look. "Right, storytime. I won't interrupt again."

"They were left with their aunt when they were about four. I felt awful for them, they never saw their mom or dad again. April, the one you met, is the oldest triplet. Then there's May and the youngest is June..."

He told Louie a very watered down version of his life with the girls, skipping a lot of details like when he inherited the Cabana and became a Caballero. He was pretty sue his nephew knew he was doing it, but he stayed quiet. 

He told him about his marriage to Daisy and that it fell through, about how the girls didn't want to go with their aunt and new uncle Dapper to Europe so they plead with her to let him have custody. It was well after the Felldrake fiasco, and years before Della's pregnancy which he had moved back into the manor for. He was surprised Scrooge and Della never asked why the girls were always hanging around and why they hadn't seen Daisy in years.

They were nearly seventeen when Della disappeared. They only stayed with him and the eggs for a year or so before they all enlisted. And all in different branches much to his surprise.

"Huh," Louie's voice pulled him out of his memories. "I always wondered who took that picture of you in the recliner sitting on our eggs." Louie's mind was all over the place. Legally, he now had three older siblings he never knew about. Talk about mind blown! "Why have you never mentioned them before?"

Donald sighed, he's been doing that too much lately. "I know this is no excuse. But I've kept secrets for so long that I just don't talk about anything to anyone anymore. It's just easier. After a few years of keeping secrets from uncle Scrooge and your mother, I just stopped trying to hide because I realized that if I just didn't say anything then they would assume whatever they wanted. So I...I just don't talk about me anymore."

"We promised. No more family secrets." At Louie's statement he could see the guilt consume his uncle's face. "I guess we made the wrong uncle promise." He huffed. "I should be mad. Like really mad...but, you answered me when I asked and...we've never asked you before...have we?"

Oh, Louie. He was always the keenest of his brothers, noticing things they don't. Figuring out stuff no six year old should know. He didn't want his secrets hurting the kids. After the Shadow War and them finding out what happened with their mom, he knew he would have to spill and answer to his long hidden past sooner or later. If he continued to keep them in the dark, then he'd risk losing them forever and that wasn't an option.

"Louie. I promise I'll tell you what I can but," He held the duckling's face close. "I need you to understand that I can't tell you everything. Some secrets, they aren't mine to tell."

Louie frowned at him but nodded. He wasn't about to complain about his uncle's willingness to be open. He just hoped his uncle's secrets weren't the life threatening kind.


	11. Rubber Ducky You're the One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI Donald, when he uses a voice modulater, will sound like Nathan Drake from Uncharted.

Louie's mind raced. His uncle had been married, they weren't the first set of triplets he's raised, he had been an adventurer....when he had taken on the task of finding out his uncle's secrets, he didn't think that it would be this... _complicated_.

After their talk uncle Donald had taken him downstairs and introduced him to the girls. They were nice enough, but something about them reminded him of a cheshire cat. Then there was the purple lady his uncle called Lieutenant. She didn't talk much. She mostly just stared at him awkwardly until his uncle told her she was dismissed.

The rest of the evening was quiet, so Louie hugged uncle Donald goodnight and went back up to his bedroom-just his and only his-to lay on the bed and think. This activity took up most of the night. He pretended to be asleep when his uncle opened the door to check on him, but he wasn't sure he fooled him.

What to do, what to do...where to start? How to start? He didn't want to ask uncle Donald about his marriage, or anything about the girls; He didn't want to make him talk about bad memories. That left him with Calisota Drake, who according to Webby was one of the world's greatest adventurers. In Louie's experience, you don't get that title without doing something seriously awesome.

Uncle Donald came in to wake him up the next morning for breakfast. It was a quiet meal. Louie listened to everyone plan out their day while he ate his french toast. 

"Do you want to go back to the mansion today Louie?" His uncle's question made him pause.

"No." He pulled a piece off and stuffed it in his mouth.

"There's not much here for you to do. Are you sure?" His uncle stood up, pushed the sleeves of his blue flannel shirt up and gathered the plates. It was odd seeing his uncle in 'normal' clothes. He wore a black shirt under the flannel and a bracelet he recognized. Webby must've made him one.

"Yeah." He stuffed the rest in his mouth, wiped his hands on a napkin and handed uncle Donald his plate.

"Why don't you help us?" One of the girls-May?- said. "We're going to help uncle Donald sort through the crates the delivery guys dropped off this morning."

Louie turned around in his seat to look at his uncle, who was washing the dishes despite there being a dishwasher right next to him.

"Sure, why not?"

* * *

"I still don't understand why you hired this man Eugenia." 

Eugenia, the president of the New Quackmore Institute glared over her lavender horn rimmed glasses. The female peacock huffed in the old poodles direction, her beak held high in the air.

"I know you're new her Lydia, so I'll pretend that I did not hear you say that." Eugenia adjusted her grip on the package under her arm and continued marching down the sidewalk.

"I did not get on the board by wasting resources. It is a simple question. Why waste money hiring a man with no degree? A commoner no less. What could he possible attribute to the Institute." Lydia tossed one perfectly permed ear over her shoulder.

"That is precisely what I'm about to show you."

* * *

After breakfast they moved to the foyer where sveral large shipping crates had been left. Louie wasn't sure what to expect, or what they were going to do. But watching uncle Donald methodically go through the treasure was, well, _impressive_. At a single glance he identified everything he pulled out, then handed it over to one of the four of them for sorting. Due to the age of the items his uncle insisted they all wear gloves to help protect them. The items, not them.

"Don't worry Louie. None of these things are magic related, so everything will be fine." April was in charge of all the South American items, May the African, June the Asian\Oriental while Louie got the Native American. 

"April," At the sound of her name she stepped toward uncle Donald who was holding up a strange mask to the light in the foyer. "Araucanos, maybe Mapuche...definitely ceremonial....I recognize the symbol on the forehead......can't remember if it's matrimonial or burial." He lowered the mask for a moment before handing it over to her.

"Those are two very different things." She gently took it from him.

"Not to some people." Donald mumbled to himself.

They all startled at the sound of the of the door bell. Uncle Donald handed June a sword. "Look for a Katana that matches this Wakizashi, then set the Daisho over in the World War 2 pile." He took his gloves off, dug around in his pocket for something and headed for the door. He took whatever it was from his pocket and tied it around his neck, then pulled the collar of his shirt up to hide it.

"Miss Eugenia, how are you?" The voice that came out of his uncle's mouth was smooth and....weird. It was a very different from the one Gyro's voice doohicky gave him. Louie watched as a peacock in a purple dress shirt and a poodle in a perrywinkle pants suit sashayed into the foyer. They looked every bit the part of rich snobs.

"Lovely, thank you for asking." Her tail feathers perked up a little. "This is Lydia Chienne, our new board member and Art Director."

"Wonderful to meet you miss." Donald turned to the other woman and gave her a small bow in greeting.

"The proper way to address me is as Madam Chienne." She sniffed at him with a small frown in place. Her disdain for uncle Donald made Louie mad enough to glare openly at her.

"My apologies Madam, I did not think you were of an age to address you as such. You still look very much like a Miss to me." Louie's eyebrows shot up so far he thought he might've lost them. Who knew uncle Donald could be so.... _smooth_. He didn't.

The woman blushed lightly, caught off guard by the compliment. "I-well....A common mistake." She blundered out. "One I will over look this once."

 _How gracious of you_...

The peacock seemed to be thinking the same thing as him, cause she rolled her eyes at the statement before holding out a large rectangle wrapped in brown paper. "I was hoping you would have some time to authenticate this for me." 

Uncle Donald took the package from her carefully. "Of course. Follow me." He turned to the left. "This will be easier in the other room."

The triplets exchanged a look before following after them, so Louie followed too. He entered the room, a sort of formal dining room with a table long enough to seat all of Duckburg, just in time to see his uncle unwrap.....a painting? It was a nice enough painting of a fancy room that was all gold. His uncle held it up to the light very carefully; Eyeing it with a small frown.

"As you can see it is an incredible find." The poodle woman began lecturing. "The colors, the brush strokes..."

"Eighteenth century..." Donald mumbled.

"Yes, quite a wonderful era of inspiration...."

"Andreas Schlüter's 'The Amber Room'...."

"Yes, many thought it lost after the burning and looting in Germany during World War 2. We've been wanting to hang it in our new American History Exhibit alongside the other items that have been sent to you for identification...."

"Where did you get this?" He turned the painting around to look at the backside and ran his hand over the canvas.

Madam Chienne sniffed at him in displeasure at being interrupted. "It was left to the Institute after the death of a wealthy business man who claimed to have smuggled it from Germany himself." She held her head high and spoke to him as if he were stupid. "As a proffesional Art Director with a Masters in art history and conservation, I can assure you that...."

"It's a fake." Donald declared. He set the painting down on the table while the woman behind him sputter in indignation. The kids on the other hand hid their amusement behind their hands.

"I can _assure_ you, that painting is one hundred percent the real deal!" She placed her hands on her hips and stared down her nose at uncle Donald. The peacock, Miss Eugenia, was smiling like it was Christmas.

"Your assurances and degrees mean nothing." Before the Madam could say anything in her outrage Donald continued. "You see these vases?"

"Yes, but what has that have to do..."

"They're the wrong colors." He pointed them out to her. "Here. The one on the right, according to the remake made in 2003, is supposed to be a deep purple, instead it's blue. And the ones on the left, they're supposed to be blue, not purple. Right colors, but on the wrong vases."

Madam Chienne sputtered for a moment before pulling out a pair of glasses and placing them on her face. She looked closely at what Donald pointed out. It was a few momoents before she straightened up, turned on her heel and marched out of the house without another word.

"Finally." Eugenia broke the silence. "Someone put her in her place." She dug around in her purse for a moment before pulling out an envelope and handing it to Donald. "Here are your tickets. Your scheduled to leave this Saturday to escort the Matisse collection back to Musée d'Orsay in Paris."

 _PARIS_!? _His uncle was going to Paris!?_

Eugenia sauntered up to uncle Donald, practically invading his personal space. "It's good to see you again," She turned around and raised her tail feathers so they'd rub the underside if uncle Donald's bill as she walked away. " _Goodbye, Ducky_." She blew him a kiss and gave him a finger wave goodbye before leaving.

Donald stood stock still while the girls used their hands to hold their beaks shut to keep from laughing. Louie on the other hand shuddered in disgust.

"That....was the most _disturbing_ thing I've ever seen."


	12. You and Me Against the World

Uncle Donald invited him to come to Paris with him. No adventure, no life or death experiences, just a two day visit. He said yes, it sounded nice. In fact, of all the places, uncle Scrooge's never taken them to France. Most of the time they go to lost islands or unknown lands lost to time or places no one has stepped foot in who knows how long yadda yadda etcetera etcetera. Paris sounded like...fun.

After they finished going through the first three crates Louie excused himself to go to the bathroom. The manor, well it was more like a museum with an apartment attached to it, had too many rooms to keep track of. So he made his way back toward his and uncle Donald's rooms. It was the only place where he knew a bathroom was.

On his way back out he couldn't help but glance inside his uncle's room. It was too easy without a door and Louie's curiosity got the better of him. The room was almost entirely bookshelves, and there seemed to be more books than shelves. They littered every available space. The desk, the dresser, there were even some stacked up in boxes on the floor. There were maps and star charts all over the walls, no less than three cups full of different kinds of pens and pencils on the desk and a sextant sitting next to one of those doohickeys that help you draw circles.

Louie browsed the shelves, not expecting to find anything, when something caught his eye. There were three books nestled in between all the others without titles on their spines. The leather bound books looked out of place amongst all the history titles and larger sized books. What were they?

He pulled the first one off the shelf and flipped it open to a random page. He wasn't sure what was more interesting, the drawing of what looked like a large blue gem on fire, or words he recognized as his uncle's hand writing that said "Buddhist Holy Grail" scrawled next to it.

" _No way_..." He whispered to himself before flipping through the journal some more. There were more drawings of places, monsters, artifacts, statues, puzzles and a picture of his uncle and some old dog with gray white hair, a thick mustache that matched and a long cigar sticking out of his mouth. He flipped the picture over, hoping to see something written on the back, but there wasn't anything.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the bathroom?"

Louie let out a frightened yell. Turning around he shot June, definitely June(He was getting better at telling them apart) a glare while clutching his chest with the hand that had the picture and dropped the book.

"Don't scare me like that!" He bent down to pick the book up, using the action to hide the fact that he slipped the picture into his hoodie.

"What are you doing in here?" Her tone wasn't accusing, more like, amused.

"Nothing, I thought I saw something." he turned back to the shelf and put the journal back.

"Which is it?" She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"Which _what_?" He stuffed his hands back in his pocket.

"Were you doing nothing? Or did you walk in here because you saw something?"

 _Crap_....

"I was just curious...I wasn't snooping on purpose." He mumbled to himself while trying to figure out how to get out of trouble. What if she told uncle Donald?

June walked up to the shelf and pulled a different leather journal down, flipped it open and then handed it to him. "I prefer starting with the first book in a series myself." She walked out without another word.

The journal she handed him was much smaller and than the one he put back and....was that a BULLET HOLE!?

Louie ran back into his room and quickly stashed it under his pillow. He'd read it later.

* * *

Later ended up being when his uncle went to bed. The rest of their day went well, but Louie was still itching to find out what these journals were all about. He had a feeling it would shed some light on his uncle's adventurous alter ego. Finally, some answers.

As it turned out, the journal wasn't uncle Donald's. It was Sir Frances Drake's. Drake, as in Calisota... _of course_! The old fancy cursive was hard to read, especially by lamplight in bed, but he stayed up all night reading.

 _Drake_ , Frances that is, _faked his own death_! _He knew where the REAL El Dorado was_? Further in he found where his uncle wrote in the book. _An entire Spanish colony disappeared just like that_?! _And what on earth are those things_?! The depictions of the monsters his uncle fought were some of the creepiest things he's seen. And that's saying something. _How on earth did the Germans of all people find this place_?! _WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CURSED COFFIN_?!

The journal didn't contain the story of what happened, just what Sir Frances did and info about what his uncle found. _Seriously_!? Louie groaned in frustration. Now how was he supposed to find out what happened? If he asked his uncle he'd have to admit he went snooping in his room. He flopped back down in bed and rolled over to try and get some sleep, or at least look like he got some for when his uncle would come in to wake him up.

The next morning went the same as before with the exception of the Lieutenant, who seemed to be avoiding him. They had breakfast and discussed their plans for the day, only this time his uncle took charge.

"We're going back to Killmotor today. I can swing by the store if you girls need anything." There uncle Donald went again, washing dishes. Louie wondered if it was just habit for his uncle to do things the hard way.

"Not really, but thanks uncle Donald." April blew on her coffee.

"We'll see you for dinner right?" May was just now finishing her oatmeal, so she brought uncle Donald her bowl.

"We should be back between six and seven. I'll call you when we...WAAAAAK!?" Louie jumped at his uncle's startled quack, ready to run if necessary. The sound of the girls laughter calmed him down slighty and he watched as his uncle, grumbling who knows what under his breath, pulled an old pancake off of his face. _When did they have pancakes_? _Where did that come from_?

"HA! You two owe me twenty bucks!" May barked out between laughs. "I called it, two weeks!" April and June handed over the money. Well, that was enough excitement for the morning. Now he knew why the girls didn't cook.

* * *

Louie wanted to try something. An experiment if you will.

Uncle Donald said it was easy to keep secrets by not saying anything. So he decided he would treat uncle Donald's secrets the same way he did. He wasn't going to tell his brothers, Webby, Beakley, Della or uncle Scrooge anything...unless they ask him. He thought of the idea on the way over and he was determined to see it through.

It was easier than he thought. The first thing everyone wanted to do when they walked in was offer to play games with him....not a game night and uncle Scrooge was apparently not allowed. Uncle Donald set himself up in the dining room, leaving him to the whims of his siblings, and told everyone he'd be there if they needed him. He was just doing paperwork.

Della forced him to play every game they had in the cabinet. He managed to wiggle his way out of playing, well mostly. But he still, participated. He was in charge of the spinner for Twister, the scorekeeper for dart guns and the pillow fights since Dewey called dibs on Della for his team so Huey and Webby were the other which made him the odd duck out. Which was fine. And the games he couldn't avoid were, whatever. But still... No one asked him 'how's it going', 'what's it like' or anything between the two.

Uncle Donald was right, keeping your mouth shut is the easiest way to keep secrets. It was almost comical. Huey and Webby even handed him, threw it really, a schedule they had made so they could plan which adventures to go on with and without him. While it was nice to be included, still, no one once asked him if he was bored or if he liked it or what did you do all day? Nothing.

 _Well, it's their fault if they don't ask_...

And they didn't. It wasn't a bad day, they all did stupid stuff and hung out, he had fun. It was just...surprising. Louie figured if they wanted to know, then they can ask. Until then, it was just him and uncle Donald and Louie's was discovering he liked it this way.

* * *

The trip to Paris was...weird, mostly because they flew commercial. Louie had never flown anywhere or in anything without Launchpad crashing it. The airport was new, the security annoying, the flight was long and boring. But interesting and more importantly safe.

They didn't do much, it was a business trip, but Louie got to walk around with uncle Donald and do the tourist thing for at least a little while. No bad guys, no near death experiences. Uncle Donald got them lunch at a little cafe and ordered using that Voicechanger thing around his neck. They even got even desert, which tasted like heaven. Louie didn't think his uncle would ever run out of surprises, so he started keeping a record in a small spiral notebook. He wrote "Languages Uncle Donald Knows" on the top of the last page in the book. He figured this should probably be a list all it's own. His uncle watched him, but didn't ask what he was doing scribbling away in a book. They enjoyed sitting together just watching people go by and appreciating the day, it was peaceful.

Going back to the Institute was kind of surreal. The thought that "This is my life now" hit him and he was, oddly okay with that. Sure, he missed his brothers, he hasn't been away long enough to start missing anyone else...yet. But he likes it here with uncle Donald.

It takes the girls a week to start calling him their little brother. He doesn't mind. It's a few days after that he finally meets the Lieutenant, who actually likes being called Lieutenant. He's pretty sure she's an alien of some kind, but that's a mystery for later. He keeps reading through his uncle's journals, helping him sort through the Native American artifacts for the Institute and learning just how awesome his uncle really is.


	13. Sisters VS Brothers

The last two weeks without Louie was...weirder than he thought it would be. Not that Dewey thought about it a lot....only at night when his mind would wander. He just couldn't see what was so cool about living with uncle Donald. Been there done that.

Dewey figured his brother was avoiding their mom because he got in trouble. Classic Louie, he never gives up his stupid cons. He wasn't mad at his brother for what happened, he knows Louie wouldn't do something dangerous on purpose, he doesn't like danger. Plus he fixed what was wrong. 

He just....wasn't sure how to make him see that what he was doing now was also wrong. He should be here with them and mom, having fun. This was the best thing that ever happened to them. Why couldn't he understand that?

They were all hanging out in Webby's room while their mom tried to convince uncle Donald to leave his paperwork so they could all go to the beach. It was the perfect day for a beach day. Warm, not too humid, partly cloudy, not that that would stop uncle Donald from smearing their faces with sunscreen. It was a small price to pay so they could spend some time with uncle Donald. Huey and Dewey weren't sure how often they would see him, every job is different.

"...and then I launched off the second chandelier in the foyer, did a double back flip and landed on the stairs." Webby was enacting their last war game for Louie. "I cornered those two on the stairs and Della opened fire from the landing. It was epic!"

"It was painful." Huey looked up from his guide book. "I said no head shots."

"All is far in love and war!"

"Not according to the Geneva Convention..." He retorted sourly.

"Anyway." She sat down on her pink bean bag and fiddled with her fingers. Louie could tell that they finally ran out of things to talk about. "How's it going at the New Quackmore Institute?"

"Webby!" Huey hissed.

"What? We've all been wondering the same thing!" She threw her hands up in a rare show of annoyance.

"Good actually...." Dewey scoffed and mumbled something that sounded like 'yeah right'. Louie ignored him. Finally, someone said something. "Uncle Donald let's me help him sort the artifacts."

Webby squealed in excitement, Huey looked surprised and Dewey...Dewey rolled his.

"None of it's magic related, so no curses or anything..." Webby let out a disappointed 'awe'. But Huey's attention increased. "The Institute is rotating out their exhibits right now. So uncle Donald is escorting the borrowed art peices back to their owners and helping to set up the new exhibit." He turned to Dewey and said louder. "I also get to go with him when he returns the exhibit pieces. Last weekend we went to Paris."

"France?!" Webby exclaimed in joy. Huey yelled in surprise.

Dewey looked surprised for a moment before frowning again. "So? Uncle Scrooge takes us all over the place. What's so exciting about France?"

"The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, 15 different castles..." Huey rattled off.

"I meant adventure related." Dewey interrupted.

"Not everything has to be an adventure." Louie scowled. "Besides, I like going places with Uncle Donald, ok?"

"Since when?" Dewey stomped forward and glared at his little brother. "Since when do you care about anything other than gold and schemes?"

"Dewey!" Huey was shocked at his brother's outburst. 

"No good comes from cockamamie schemes, remember?" Louie stood up and stood toe to toe with his brother. "Since I was told that if I wanted to be a part of this family, then I wasn't allowed to scheme. Remember?" Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard Huey and Webby both gasp; He saw Dewey's face fall with confusion, but he kept going. "Since you all left me behind to go on the ONE adventure I wanted to do MORE THAN ANYTHING! Even though I was still here!"

Dewey recovered from his confusion. "None of the rest of us were in trouble! What did you want? All of us to be grounded for what you did?!"

"A little consideration would've been nice! You could have waited one more day! But NO! You're just like mom! YOU THINK OF NO ONE BUT YOURSELVES!!" 

Everyone was silent. After a moment, Louie realized what he said. He snapped his beak shut, pulled his hoodie and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Huey lunged forward but Louie dodged. "Is that why you wanted to leave? Is that's what's wrong?" Louie stood still with his back to them, itching to spring out the door. "It's because we left you behind. We left to do what you wanted. We didn't even take pictures, or bring you back anything. We just...left."

Saying it like that, Huey was starting to understand how awful it must have felt. While he agreed his brother should have gotten in trouble, he did break time technically; he would feel miserable if his family left him all alone to go do something without him. They'd never really done that before, but mom insisted.....why was she insistent they leave that day? One more day wouldn't have hurt anything, the adventure wasn't time sensitive. Other than their flight or trail paths and supplies, adventures weren't really planned out. Until now.

Webby had backed away from the fight while Dewey was still trying to think through what his brother said. Uncle Donald told him, when you’re mad it's best to keep quiet so you can figure out why you and your brothers are upset. He was trying, but all he could think about was how Louie, Louie of all people, had just called him selfish.

Huey looked down at the schedule in his hands and then back up to his brother. "I'm sorry Louie." The apology was quiet and sincere. "We shouldn't have left you."

"I'm sorry too." Webby took a few steps forward.

Dewey kept his beak shut. As far as he was concerned Louie got what was coming to him. He was just mad he got caught, so what, he didn't get to do what he wanted? Dewey wasn't going to apologize. He should have thought about that angle when he stole Gyro's Time Tub. Dewey crossed his arms and refused to budge.

"If you're looking for an apology from me, look somewhere else. Cause I ain't giving any. You got what you deserved."

"Dewey!" Huey glared at his brother. Shocked would be an understatement for him right now.

"I wasn't." With that Louie walked out the door leaving his two older brothers to argue.

When he got downstairs he asked his uncle, uncaring about interrupting Della, if they could go back to the Institute early. Uncle Donald gave him a once over and then nodded. Della seemed...put out that Donald gave in to Louie so easily while she'd been arguing with her brother for the last hour to do what she wanted.

He packed up his I.D papers for the artifacts and his laptop and they left immediately. Donald knew how important it was to put distance between yourself and whatever made you emotional. There must've been an argument between the boys; Louie's far more vulnerable to those. He hoped his boys would work it out themselves, but if not he was ready to intervene.

* * *

"You ok bud?" May walked up to Louie slowly as not to spook him. After coming back to the Institute Louie retreated to his new room to hide. Here he sat on his bed feeling miserable.

May sat down next to him gently. “Uncle Donald wanted us to give you some space. But I don’t like leaving people alone to feel awful.”

Louie rolled over and sat up. He didn’t know what she wanted him to say.

“I know how it feels to only get along with half of your family.”

“How’d you know…”

“That you and your brothers fought? I’d like to say you have that look on your face but…Uncle Donald told us.” She admitted quietly. “You want to hear a story?”

Louie shrugged. A distraction sounded nice, but he wasn’t sure where she was going to go with this.

“A long, long time ago there lived a happy family with three little girls. Then one day the mommy and daddy told the girls that they would be visiting their Aunt. The girls were excited; they loved their Aunt. But it was a trick so their mommy and daddy could run away.” Hearing her say it was worse than when Uncle Donald told him. “The girls were sad for a while, but eventually they got used to living with their Aunt. It wasn’t easy, they had to learn to take care of themselves for the most part because their Aunt left a lot, but at least she would come back.

“Then their Aunt met a Hero, and he was the best thing to ever happen. He took them to parks to play and cooked them yummy meals.” Louie was torn between letting her finish and complaining about being told a story as if he were five. “Eventually the Hero married their Aunt and became their Uncle. They thought their life would get nothing but better.” Louie didn’t want to hear this part.

“But it didn’t. Their Aunt was never happy with what their Uncle gave her, so she left to find something she thought would be better. But the girls always stayed in touch with their Uncle. Then one day their Aunt met someone new and he was Dapper.

“The girls didn’t want to leave their Uncle behind. So they hatched a plan.” Louie’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “But their Aunt resented them for choosing him over her. Even still to this day.

“The girls grew up to idolize their Uncle, wanting to be hero’s just like him. So they did. The training was hard and took a long time but they did it. They did it for him. Life was hard on their Uncle and he didn’t always have room for them to come home for holidays or even just visits, not that he would admit it. Still they tried and succeeded the first few times. But their Aunt is a jealous person, and the last thing they wanted was for her to go after their Uncle.

“If their Aunt couldn’t have them then neither could he and after a few years, they stopped trying. You were so little back then.” He hated how small her voice sounded; he had no idea how to comfort people. “We didn’t mean to lose touch but arguing with Aunt Daisy is an uphill battle. We just wanted to keep the peace, and Uncle Donald had enough on his plate taking care of you three; we didn’t want to add to his worries…”

“It’s ok…”

“No it’s NOT! We should have been there! We could have helped!”

“You were in the military. I’m not sure how it works exactly, but I’m pretty sure that’s more important. You were literally saving people.”

“I’m the one who’s supposed to be cheering you up.” She snorted.

“Is that what that was supposed to be?” He deadpanned. “And here I thought you were trying to bore me to sleep.” He was teasing of course, but hearing it out loud… “That is, I mean to say…” He stuttered.

May just laughed. “I know what’cha mean lil’ bro. I just…”

“Felt guilty about what happened? Yeah, I can imagine.” He bumped her with his shoulder. “Thanks for telling me.”

“You’ve been looking like you’ve wanted to ask since we met.” She ruffled his hair a lot like Uncle Donald. “Besides, you deserved to know.”

“You two done in here?” They both looked up to see June and April in the doorway. They looked at each other and nodded.

“More or less.”

“Good.” June held up a six pack of Pep. “We got the stuff right here, now hurry up. The Ottoman Empire marathon starts in like 2 minutes.”

“Really!?” Louie jumped up in excitement. “Come on!” He raced down the stairs before realizing he had no idea where a T.V even was in this house.

The girls were right behind him laughing. April took the lead and he followed her to a cozy living room just down the hall from the stairs and to the left. As they sat down on the couch where Uncle Donald was already sitting and working, Louie couldn’t help but smile. Louie never thought he’d have a sister let alone three, but he was coming to like it.


	14. Knock Knock

"We never know how high we are, till we are called to rise. And then if we are true to plan, our statures touch the skies. The heroism we recite would be a daily thing. Did not ourselves the cubits warp, for fear to be a king?

I stepped from plank to plank, so slow and cautiously. The stars about my head I felt; About my feet the sea. I know not what the next, would be my final inch. This gave me that precarious gait, some call.......experience." - Emily Dickinson

* * *

Not many people come knocking at Killmotor. They had just finished breakfast and were now starting their morning debate on what they should do today. An argument Della usually wins. So the sound of the doorbell was an odd one that garnered everyone's attention. They all stared at the door curiously.

"Now who in the blazes could that be?" Scrooge grabbed his cane from beside his chair and ambled over to the door. Might as well, it would take Beakley to long to get it since she was in the kitchen. If you had asked Scrooge to guess who was at the door, he would never have got it right.

He grabbed the door and flung it open. "What do ya wa-Abner?" Scrooge said confused. "Why I haven't seen you since...well since you left."

Abner "Whitewater" Duck stood an inch or so taller than Scrooge. He had his hands in his jean jacket with a red plaid shirt underneath. He combed a hand through his mop of black hair and stepped in.

"Yeah, nice to see you to Unk." He walked passed the older duck unfazed. "Place hasn't changed much, except for the kids. When did you get those?" He looked Della and the kids over curiously taking in the metal leg and mini Dons.

"Abner? Jeese, it's been so long." Della charged forward and hugged him. He held his arms out, uncomfortable with the contact.

"Yeah, it has." He pulled her off of him and backed away. "Anyway, I'm actually here looking for Don."

"Oh really?" Scrooge walked up from behind him scowling. "And what would you be wantin' from my nephew?"

Abner stared at the scot, assessing him. "Just looking to catch up is all. I figured it was high time for a get together."

"That sounds great!" Della jumped in excitement. "We'll call Fethry and Grandma, I'm sure Gladstone'll drop in so no worries there, HA, get it? Oh, oh, oh, we can-"

"That's alright!" He quickly interrupted her. "I don't really like parties. I was thinking more like one on one you know? Starting with Don." Della deflated at being turned down. "So, uh, where is he?"

"He's got a job." Scrooge kept staring at him. "I sincerely hope you're not about to drag him away from his hard earned life now eh?"

He placed his hands on his hips defensively causing his jackets pockets to gap and pucker. "Of course not. I just want to spend some time with family, that's all." A piece of paper inside his jacket caught Scrooge's attention.

The old duck ignored Della's rambling about Donald's new job as he focused on what looked like a picture of a cross on the paper. It looked like a crucifix, but different. Whatever that daft duck was up to had to be no good. Scrooge would get to the bottom of this before it amounted to trouble. He committed the image to memory and bid the scoundrel farewell by slamming the door after him. Good riddance.

Now, to do some research on crosses; particularly the kind people were hung on.

* * *

Donald finished packing the supplies for the girls. He had convinced May and June to take the Lieutenant out for some survival training. Then when they got home he would go over her progress. He thought it was a clever idea. It would give the girls some time with the alien, April would hold down the fort so he and Louie could spend some time with Goofy and Max. They had to postpone the get together due to an incident with Goofy's lawnmowerr....he didn't ask. 

He zipped up the last back pack and set it aside when the doorbell rang. He pulled out his voicechanger and headed for the door, hoping it wasn't...Eugenia. Instead he found himself staring at the back of a stranger.

"Can I help you?" Donald wasn't sure what to expect, but a voice he thought he'd never hear again wasn't on the list.

"Yeah, actually." The stranger was still staring around outside. "I'm looking for my cousin, he's practically my little brother." The duck finally turned around making Donald's heart to leap into his throat. "He's about your height, sounds funny...a lot less wrinkles around his face though."

"It can't be..." Donald backed away slowly. Abner followed him in.

"It is." He stopped in front of him, hands in his pockets. "How's it going Cal? Or should I call you Don?"

"Abner!" Donald hugged him briefly before pulling back.

"How? I thought you were...I saw you get shot." His eyes became glassy as he got lost in old memories.

"Yes you did." He pulled his shirt up and brushed the feathers on his side away to reveal a nasty scar. "Right here." Donald stared at it in shock. "The doctors- eh "Doctors", patched me up and threw me back into my cell."

"If I had known I would-"

"I know. You would have come back for me." Abner just smiled sadly.

"I made calls. I checked everywhere. Everything I found, everything I heard....they all said you were dead. I went back and searched everywhere for you." Apparently not hard enough. Donald didn't think his heart could take any more dead relatives coming back to life.

"We killed a guard Cal. They wanted to see me rot in that cell for the rest of my life. And I nearly did." Abner placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's important now is that I'm out."

Donald sucked in a breath, and then another. His brain was running in circles.

"Hey," Abner snapped to get his attention. "You're not going to pass out on me are you?"

"I just might." His chuckle was breathy. "It's a lot to digest. I mean, how did you get out? When did you get out? How'd you even get here here, or find me?"

"Woah there, slow down." He pulled Donald into the next room and up to the table. "Take a seat. I wanna hear about you."

Donald took the seat and Abner sat down beside him. "Me?" He snorted. "What's there to tell?"

"Well," Abner crossed his arms and leaned back. "I called some of your old contacts. They told me some pretty crazy-ass stories."

"What kind of crazy stories?" Donald was genuinely curious. He's forgotten half the stuff he's done and his entire life is crazy.

"Gut-shot? Hanging from a derailed train in the Himalayas?" Abner gave him a look.

"Yeah, uh." Donald cleared his throat. "That actually happened."

Good old Abner. Always there, believing, trusting, helping..."Come on man. What'd I miss?"

"I don't even know where to start."

"Start with the best part."

Donald thought for a moment before deciding. "You know that theory we had, that Sir Frances faked his own death?"

"Yeah, sure." Abner leaned forward in interest.

"Okay. Well he did." Donald leaned forward as well, like he was sharing a secret. "I found the coffin."

"Off the coast of Panama?"

"Yeah! And get this. I open it up right? There's no body....but at the bottom I found his old journal."

"Are you shittin' me?"

Donald continued on for the next few hours gabbing on and on about the things he found. About what happened with Della, about the boys. He never once thought it strange that he and Abner were yet to be disturbed.


	15. Big Trouble in Little Panama

"...and then we got back together with Scrooge. The start of another adventure."

Abner sat back shaking his head. "Unbelievable."

"Yeah, I know." Donald ran a hand over his face. "If I wasn't there myself I wouldn't have believed it either. I wish you could've been there."

"No, I mean..." The black haired duck sat up straighter. "It's literally unbelievable. You're telling me you've stumbled upon more than one archeological gold mine.....without keeping any of the treasure, raised Della's kids by yourself and still moved back in with Scrooge?"

Donald smiled ruefully. "Story of my life. But I did manage to snag a few trinkets here and there. That's how I bought the houseboat. The rest I put away for an emergency and for when the boys go to college."

"You'd die for those boys wouldn't you?" Abner's face looked guilty, though Donald wasn't sure why.

"Of course."

His cousin slowly drew in a breath. "I'm in real trouble Cal." The admission was quiet.

"What kind of trouble?" The friendly atmosphere of the last few hours dissipated instantly.

"Does the name, Hector Alcazar mean anything to you?"

He thought for a moment. "The drug lord...Butcher of Panama right? Why?"

Abner nodded and sighed. "Yeah....funny story. But uh, last year he was my cell-mate." He rubbed his face tiredly. "So this is how I got out of prison."

* * *

Hector Alcazar, every night for the last sixteen years, listened to his cell-mate recite his plans for when he would escape this prison. He wished the duck good luck, he liked him. He was a visionary, like himself, seeing the world the way no one else could.

So when the white duck spoke of his pirate treasure, he listened. And he enjoyed the tale of the Gunsway heist, where the brave pirate Avery made off with 4 hundred million dollars worth of gold. How this duck was the only person destined to find it. He guaranteed it. His word was good enough for Alcazar.

When his men came to bust him out, over running the prison with sheer fire-power, he took his cell-mate with him. He trusted the frightened duck not to shoot him when he handed over the gun. In fact, he was delighted to see the gringo use it on their tormentors.

They shot their way out, leaving behind nothing but bodies in their wakes. The battle was glorious. His men rammed the gate with a custom van, busting their way in to meet them. They picked him and the duck up and sped away leaving the rest of the prisoners armed to deal with the guards.

He handed the duck some water and asked him how long it would take to retrieve the treasure. At first, he would not give him a straight answer, so he asked again. Still, the white duck squirmed which displeased him. He had said he knew where it was, Alcazar does not tolerate excuses. He pressed the duck harder for an answer.

Hector had his men stop the van and pull the gringo out holding their guns to his head. That way he couldn't run. It was disappointing...he had believed his cell-mate could find the treasure. The duck insisted he could, so he asked again...how long?

He said six months and Alcazar laughed. He knew people, they were lazy. Always asking for more time than they actually needed.

He told the duck he had three to get him half the treasure. And to not call the police. The moment he would Hector would be waiting for him, and that death would not be a mercy he would grant him.

Once the duck agreed he and his men left him, with directions to the nearest town and half a canteen of water.

* * *

"This is bad." It was the first thing Donald had said since Abner started his story.

"Could be worse." Donald snorted at his cousin, but Abner continued. "We just pick up the trail where we left-"

"Trail? There's no trail." He frowned. "After Raife and I escaped he used all of his parents money to buy up the land around Saint Dismus's Cathedral. We combed the area for weeks...the treasure isn't there. Course that didn't stop Raife. Moron's been digging for years, he hasn't turned up squat."

Abner grinned and nodded. "Not really surprised."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He gave his cousin a side eye.

"Well, I've been doing a little digging of my own." Abner reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper. "I bet you Raife doesn't have this." He handed it to Donald.

He looked the paper over. "It's just a Saint Dismus cross."

"Oh really? For someone with perfect recall and the best eye for detail, I thought you'd see what I did."

Donald looked back down and studied the picture closely. "Holy crap...this one's in tact."

"Bingo. The one we found was hollow, remember?" Abner's grin was infectious.

"Avery made more than one cross."

"So whatever was missing from the one in Panama...."

"Is probably still inside this one." They grinned at each other like old times. "Where is this?"

"Oh this?" Abner pointed at the grainy picture. "This exquisite piece is going up for auction in three days at the Rossi Estate."

Donald blinked in surprise. "The Rossi Estate?"

"Oh, you know it?"

"Uh, yeah." He said, as if Abner asked a stupid question. "How exactly do you plan on securing an invite to an exclusive, heavily guarded, Black Market auction?" Donald was worried his cousin was about to do something incredibly stupid.

"Well," Abner rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, you don't really need an invitation per se...."

"Uh huh." Donald crossed his arms. "Where're you going to get the money to outbid all the high rollers?" He asked, sure his cousin was about to present some ridiculous scheme. "I could sell the house boat and dip into my emergency funds, but it still wouldn't be enough to...." The realization hit him. "You're going to steal it...aren't you....."

"No....we are."

Donald took a few steps back in surprise. Not that he was against the idea, after all it was a Black Market auction, but he had more people to consider than just himself. He couldn't help now even though he wanted to, needed to.

"No, I can't." He stuttered the refusal, feeling guilty about turning his cousin down. "Listen I'm out..."

"What?" Abner smiled, thinking that he was joking.

"I don't do that kind of thing anymore." His cousin's smile dropped as he tried to convince him. "Besides, there are other guys that are much better equipped to help you than me."

"Yeah? Like who?" Crossing his arms Abner widened his stance; refusing to back down.

"Like.....Uncle Scrooge."

"Don't make me laugh. That old codger? Even if I got him to agree, he doesn't share treasure. You know that."

"Then what about-"

"There's no one you can think of that I'd trust my life with." Abner placed his hands on Donald's shoulders so he could look him in the eyes. "I need you on this one."

Donald opened his mouth and closed it, speechless. On one hand he was itching to get out there to solve the one mystery he and Abner were so close to solving so many years ago. To go on another adventure. To discover missing pieces of history, to help family. The call was strong, but he had responsibilities to think about. He had Louie to think about.

* * *

Louie and the girls held their breath as they sat on the other side of the doorway; huddled together and straining to listen to their Uncle and his cousin.

When they had heard the doorbell ring they thought it might have been Eugenia. Watching her flirt with Uncle Donald was something they didn't want to miss. So they hurried downstairs as quietly as they could to watch the show in secret. Louie only joined them out of curiosity....well and blackmail material.

But what they heard instead was far more interesting. Louie cracked open his book and jotted down 13th Century Spanish below French in his notebook on Uncle Donald. Finally, he finally got to hear the rest of the story, and he was kinda on the fence about it.

On one hand, finding out just how awesome Uncle Donald is, is amazing. But on the other hand, hearing about how many times his Uncle's almost died was giving him more stress and anxiety than going on an actual adventure. Though most likely due to his luck, Louie still found the amount of danger his Uncle encountered on his adventures compared to Uncle Scrooge's terrifying.

"Don't make me laugh. That old codger?" Louie had never heard anyone other than Uncle Scrooge's villains talk about him like that. "Even if I got him to agree, he doesn't share treasure. You know that."

"Then what about-"

"There's no one you can think of that I'd trust my life with." Louie knew a con when he heard it. "I need you on this one."

"Abner....there's gotta be another way." His Uncle sounded so guilty. _Just the way Abner wanted no doubt_. But Louie couldn't blame him. If he needed help, then he'd come to Uncle Donald too.

"Not with the time I got left." _Laying it on a little thick there Abner_. "What do you say?"

Before Uncle Donald could answer, before Louie even knew what was happening, all three girls stood up and yelled.

"Say _YES_!"


	16. Saddle Up Your Horses

The girls quickly covered their mouths, realizing what they did in their excitement, while Donald's mind was still coming to grips with the fact that they've probably been listening for quite some time. He didn't even bother to ask, he just gave them a disappointed look.

"You can come out too Louie." Louie slowly peaked out of the doorway. Donald sighed and waved him in. He rubbed a hand over his face; trying to figure out what to do. "Girls, I can't just run off."

"But he needs help." May stated simply.

"We'll watch the house and the kiddo while you're gone." June promised.

"Everything will be fine." April insisted.

"And what if it's not?" The girls frowned at him, as if the thought hadn't crossed their minds. "What if I don't come back? Then what?"

The implication hung heavily in the air, weighing down the silence and leaving dread in it's wake. The girls, unknowingly, had thought nothing of the possibility. To them, Uncle Donald is invincible. If he can face down a sorcerer, wrestle a minotaur, survive the underworld, come back from the moon, twice, and live his double life as an adventurer and thief, then what could possibly stop him?

"Then what about him?" Louie spoke softly. "He still needs help. Aren't we supposed to help family?"

Donald stared at Louie, surprised he spoke in favour of him going. Didn't he want to get away from adventures?

Louie kept going. "I mean, you said it yourself. "Family always helps family", so what he's got a price on his head? These ducks don't back down, remember?" Louie was surprising himself as well. He didn't think he'd side with Abner. But all he could think about was how if he ever got into this kind of trouble when he's older, he'd want Uncle Donald, his brothers and now even his sisters to drop what they were doing to help him. And maybe, just maybe....he couldn't stand to see a family member turned away like he was.

"You're right." Donald dug into his pocket and grabbed his phone. He really hoped he wouldn't regret this. The phone rang a few times before a cheery voice came over the line. "Yeah, Goofy? It's Donald....yes I know I sound strange." He pulled the voicechanger off. "Is this better? Good.....I need to reschedule our get together....something's come up.....kind of a family emergency...thanks Goofy. I'll call you when we get back. See you later."

Donald wasn't sure why he agreed to this. But it was decided that April and Louie would go with them, for the argument that if they were with them then they could keep Alcazar from getting Louie for leverage. Just in case. May and June were to stay behind in case they needed more backup, to keep an eye on things in Duckburg and train the Lieutenant.

He called his old partner, informed the institute who seemed thrilled to get some items for their Pirate exhibit, bought their tickets and set everything up. By this time tomorrow they'll be in Italy.

* * *

"Remember, April's in charge and if you need to call us we'll be radio silent for about two hours." Donald was nervous about Louie being here. "And if you want to know what's going on April will have the walkie on so you can hear us, and in case of an emergency-"

"I can call May and June back at the institute with the two-way mirror in your bag. I know, I know," Louie started pushing his Uncle out the door. "You're going to be late."

Donald smiled, ruffled his hair and hugged April before heading out with Abner.

* * *

They both had on grey jumpsuits to hide in the shadows of the greenery surrounding the Estate. The Rossi Estate made Killmotor look small. It was practically a palace, armed to the nines with guards and spotlights.

They hiked over the ridge on the southeast side of the property and camped out. Donald pulled out architectural blue-prints of the estate while Abner surveyed the grounds with a pair of binoculars.

"See anything yet?" Donald looked up.

"Just a bunch of high class, low-life criminals all dressed up for prom." Abner watched as another million dollar sports car pulled into the estate. "And no sign from Sullivan yet."

"There's still plenty of time." He knew Abner and Sully didn't really get along. He just didn't know why. He brushed off his thoughts. "Looks like the storage room is in a small building behind the manor. Can you see it from here?"

"Just the very top of it." He stood on his toes to get a better look. "I wonder what they got tucked away in there."

"Focus." Donald reminded him. "We're just here for the cross."

"You sure you don't want to bring back something for the girls?" Though he said it with a smile Donald knew he was being serious.

"Let's just keep this simple." The last thing they needed were complications.

"Right, simple." Abner jumped down from the rock he was perched on for lookout. "This would be a lot simpler if it was just the two of us."

"Well it's not. If I didn't take at least one of them with me then they all would have come anyway. Besides, we all agreed it was best to keep Louie where we could keep an eye on him."

"I'm talking about Sullivan." He said annoyed. "We could be inside already."

"Yeah, but not cleanly." Donald was trying really hard to keep things from going wrong. Sully will help with that.

"Have you thought of a back-up plan, in case Sullivan gets cold feet? Or if he got caught?"

"No," He answered tiredly. "Because he knows the people running the auction. He's gonna schmooze his way right through the front door, go upstairs, unlock a window and then we're in. It's a solid plan."

"Uh huh." Abner kept fidgeting.

Donald was afraid to ask but..."What-"

"What if he double crosses us?"

"Not in a million years." He was getting tired of this.

"Victor Sullivan. This is the same Sullivan we're talking about, right?" Abner waved his hands around for emphasis.

"Yes. He's double crossed people in the past before. But not us."

"No." He was quick to correct. "He's never double crossed you."

"Look, I know you two have never seen eye to eye-"

"Huge understatement."

"-but I trust him alright? He's family." Donald knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as it left his beak. "You know what I mean....I just- I need you to trust him too."

"Fine." His cousin conceded.

He walked around Abner to pick the binoculars up so he could look for the signal. "He'll come through for us."

The black haired duck continued to fidget like he was uncomfortable. "Ok, but you have to at least consider the possibility-"

"There." Donald pointed to a window on the south side of the estate and handed the binoculars over so Abner could see. Sure enough, a lamp quickly went off, then on again. "That's the signal. I told you he'd coe through."

Abner turned toward him with a frown. Unexpectedly he zipped Donald's jump suit all the way up and then wiped imaginary dust from his shoulders. "Just keep the tux clean."

He rolled his eyes, grabbed his grappling hook from their duffel and followed after his cousin.

The trek through the grounds was quite the trip. At one point they dropped down too far and had to climb up the side of the old brick. Donald did not miss this part of adventuring. They continued down, following the side of the estate which sat on the cliffside. The grapple cam in handy; they used it on the support beams to swing around to the other side of the house and onto the cliff.

Now all they had left to do was scale the outer wall up to the balcony where Sully was. Simply, but not easy. After landing on the balcony Donald was ready to just open the window and climb in, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Hey," Abner tugged at his collar, reminding him to take the jumpsuit off.

"Oh, right." They both unzipped their all-in-ones revealing the tuxedos they wore underneath.

Donald noticed Abner fidgeting with his tie.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," He dropped his hands. "How do I look?"

"Like 400 million bucks." Donald slapped his shoulder. "Let's go."

The room was dark as they stepped into it, bringing a certain amount of caution to their steps. Donald could smell the tell-tale stench of a cigar and smiled.

A chuckle sounded from the darkness. "You know what I love about partying with a bunch of crooks?" Abner turned the light back on to reveal Sully, an old dog with white hair, a thick mustache and signature cigar. He took another puff off of it. "Nobody cares when you smoke in-doors."

"Sully." Donald moved forward to hug the dog. "It's been awhile."

"Too long kid."

"You remember my dead brother right?" Donald had to be careful how he introduced Abner. When he and his cousin made up their new identities they introduced each other as brothers. When he became Calisota Drake, Abner became his brother named...

"Sam?" Sully gave the black haired duck a once over.

"Victor."

"Well I'll be damned. 15 years."

"Yep."

You could have cut the tension with a knife as the to stared at each other. Thankfully, Sully broke it first.

"Good to see you alive Sam." He shook the ducks hand. Sam just hummed.

"Let's try and keep it that way by getting that cross." Calisota interjected. He was Cal now not Donald.

"Yeah...about that."


	17. Complications

"What's up?" Cal sighed. They had barely gotten in and there was already a problem.

"Come here. I gotta show you something." Sully led them out of the room and into the hallway, which doubled as a balcony. They looked over the bannister and into the show room.

"The cross?" St. Dismus's cross was on display waiting for a bid. "It's not supposed to be out of storage yet."

"They brought it out just before you got here." All three men frowned.

Sam growled. "Someone changed the lot order."

"It would take a whole pile of cash to do it too." Sully agreed.

Cal turned back to Sully. "How long before they start the bidding?"

"Ten, fifteen minutes tops."

"There's gotta be some way to grab it." Cal looked back over Avery's cross with a frown.

"There's just a small problem with the few hundred witnesses down there." Sully pointed out the crowd.

Meanwhile Sam was devising a new plan. He chuckled when he thought of the obvious solution. "What if they don't see us?"

"What are you talking about?" Cal stared at him confused.

"Yeesh, you both act like you've never spent any time in prison." Sam rolled his eyes. "When you want something dirty done, you wait for-"

"Lights out." Cal would have face palmed. He couldn't believe he missed the obvious.

"So boys, what are you stealing?"

Cal spun on his heel and came face to face with one of the last people he wanted to see here.

"Goldie?!" He hissed. "What are you doing here?"

Goldie O'Gilt stood in front of him clad in a gold evening gown that matched her hair. "Oh, me? I was just about to ask you the same thing. Cal." She batted her eyelashes at him as she spoke to him with fake sweetness.

"Yes, well. Ladies first." Cal and Goldie sized each other up for a moment.

"You know me. I love a good Black Market auction. You?"

Cal knew she was lying. "Just here for a pleasant and quiet evening with my associates." He gestured to Sam and Sully behind him.

Goldie smiled viciously. "So you're not here with them?" She pointed over the railing to a group of people, two adults and three kids, he knew quite well.

 _He brought the kids?! To a Black Market Auction crawling with bad guys?!_ Donald watched him encourage the kids to swipe food from the tables into baggies in their backpacks. If he wasn't careful he was going to get them all thrown out......actually, that would be the best case scenario here. Donald wrestled his worry and anxiety under control. Cal didn't have time for this; he had a job to do.

Cal could feel Sam stiffen behind behind, he knows his eyebrows are probably not attached anymore. "No, I am not."

"So you won't mind if I introduce you two."

"This isn't a joke Goldie." He glared at her. His serious tone wiped the smile off of her face. "We've got a job to do and I can't have him see me."

Sully put a hand on his shoulder. "Why not kid?"

It wasn't the first time he felt guilty about not telling Sully about his real name and family. But he knew it was best, Sully's still in the game, and if anyone caught wind of Calisota's real name, family, anything then it would be really really bad.

Sam stepped in to answer for him. "Cause everyone knows how Scrooge McDuck is about treasure. Cal and I don't exactly.....get along with the old duck."

Goldie held Cal's gaze, what she was looking for he couldn't say. After a moment she nodded.

"Well then you owe me one." She dug into her purse and pulled a compact mirror. She checked her make-up and then put it back. "I'll distract him while you grab that crucifix."

"It's not a crucifix." He said automatically. But she was already sauntering away, eager to put another another knot in Scrooge's feathers.

"Let me know how the adventure goes honey." She threw over her shoulder.

"Well," They both turned to look at Sam. "That's taken care of at least."

"Where's the electrical for this place? We need to get this show on the road." Sully pulled him from his thoughts.

Cal pulled the blue-prints out of his lapel pocket and scanned them. "Right up there." He pointed to a room one floor above them. "We just need to get up there and kill the lights."

"Then we can grab the cross in the dark." Sam added.

"There will be an emergency generator." Sully reminded them.

"Yeah," Cal agreed. "But this'll at least give us a few seconds to work with."

"So we'll need to be right next to the cross when the lights go out." Sam frowned in thought.

"But we can't get that close without someone noticing." Sully and Cal ignored the waitress as she approached them.

"Scusate signori..." She offered Sam an hors d'oeuvre. "Antipasti?"

"Hi." He took one and smiled at her flirtatiously. "How are you?" He ate it as he watched her walk away.

"Ciao."

Cal smacked Sam's arm. "Would you focus?"

"A waiter wouldn't get noticed."

* * *

Scrooge knew that, that Whitewater duck was up to no good. After doing some research on what he now knew was a St. Dismus cross he discovered that the one he was looking for was on sale at this criminal's auction. Which no doubt meant the scoundrel was up to no good and probably dragging his nephew down with him. When Scrooge gets his hands on that duck he'll...

"Well, fancy running into you here Scroogy." The old scot froze in his tracks. No, not her too. If she was here, then that meant Donald was in bigger trouble than he thought. He had to find him, now.

"I don't want to know what you're doing here, I don't have time to deal with you." Scrooge turned around to glare at Goldie.

"You wound me." She placed a hand over her heart. Before either of them could continue Della hopped over to them, forced to wear a dress and very uncomfortable in it, complaining loudly.

"Uncle Scrooge, I just saw a lady with pants on. Why did I have to where this stupid death trap-oh." She stopped tugging on her dress to stare at Goldie. "Goldie? You're still alive?! How old are you?"

"Della." Scrooge hissed. "Keep it down lass." He knew he shouldn't have let her come. A trained dog had better manners. If she wasn't careful she could get them all into some serious trouble. Luckily Huey was bound and determined to teach her how to act in this type of social setting. The duckling had his work cut out for him.

"Mom, what did we talk about?" Huey asked patiently.

Della sighed. "To think about what you say before it flies out of your mouth."

"Dude, cut her some slack. This is a party" Dewey crossed his arms.

"Actually, it's an auction. The food and drink are merely polite amenities for the guests-"

"Blah blah blah, whatever. Hey Goldie," He marched up to the thief. "What'cha stealing tonight? Anything interesting?"

"Dewey." Huey tried to reprimand his brother.

"Ooo, ooh. Maybe she's here because she knew Uncle Scrooge would be here so she could set it up like they're on a date!" Webby barged in with her theory.

"Eww, Uncle Scrooge and Goldie? No way!" Della made wretching noises.

"Would all of you cut it out!" For once nobody actually listened to him.

The kids continued to argue and pester Goldie about why she was here, then of course Della started interrogating her about her feelings for her Uncle. Scrooge tuned them out, he had more important things to be doing.

He scanned the room for any familiar faces, sweeping back and forth meticoulesly. It wasn't until his third sweep that he noticed that one of the waiters looked an awful lot like....Abner. So he did come for the cross.

Scrooge straightened his hat and made off toward the scoundrel to give him a piece of his mind. 


	18. Protagonist Meet Antagonist

Sully handed each of them an earpiece and they were off. The plan could still work they just had to be careful. The old dog would stay inside to keep an eye on Avery's cross while Cal and Sam cut through the cellar to avoid being seen.

Cal picked the lock on the door and the plan went into motion. It took a bit to traverse the cellars of the estate, as they were large. Good thing he had experience with laberynths; after a few minutes of navigating through the wine barrels they found a door to the outside.They found a waiter on his smoke break and....relieved him of his clothes. Cal also snagged his lighter; you never know when it might come in handy. From there Sam went back inside to hold his position and Cal scaled the building from the outside to the third floor.

It took a bit of stealth to get in without being seen, but only because he was out of practice. Guards with guns however are excellent motivators. He found a window that had been left opened and crawled through. The hallway was clear but he could hear noise from two doors down to his left.

Just outside the breaker room were a bunch of guards surrounding a t.v. watching Fútball. There was no way he was going to be able to sneak past them, the only way in was through their room. He had to find another path.

"Hands in the air. Hello Victor."

He tried to tune out Sully's flirting with whoever just approached him. It was a lot of background noise to ignore but the earbuds came in handy.

"Hello Nadine. Pleasure to see you again."

He searched the hall, scanning for vents, while Sully and Nadine continued their conversation.

"I was just headed to the bar. Care for a drink?"

"Yes, Scotch...on the rocks." There was silence for a bit. "Cal? You catch all that?"

He paused in his search. "Yeah? Sounds like a lady wants to buy you a drink."

"Nadine Ross, is buying me a drink."

Donald paused. His anxiety started coming back with a vengeance. That woman was in the same room as his babies! Calm down, calm down. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that even some of the worst criminals wouldn't hurt kids. But if she did...

"Nadine Ross, the ex-special forces woman that owns that army for hire?" His voice was steadier than he felt. "Shoreline?"

"That's the one."

"Didn't you run in to trouble with her once?"

"Lucky for me, she doesn't seem to hold a grudge."

A real lady then. Operated under the Thief's Code. Ok "Stay out of trouble Sully."

"I'm trying kid."

Cal went back to searching the room. There, that vent shaft should lead him passed the guards. Cal unscrewed the vent grate with a quarter from his pocket, set it aside and climbed in. It's been a while since he's had to do this. He almost forgot how uncomfortable it was. Just as he was passing the guards he could hear Sam hiss into his earbud.

"We got trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" He whispered as quietly as he could.

"Scrooge is making a beeline right for me." Donald stilled. "I think I've been made."

So much for smooth...

* * *

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Abner Duck." The old Scot stopped short, put his hands on his hips and openly glared at the black haired duck.

"Scroogy." Goldie wrapped her arms around his neck. "It's awfully rude to leave me behind, when all I wanted to do was say hi."

"Confound it!" He threw her arms off of him. "I knew you were up to no good." He shoved the tip of his can into Abner's beak. "I don't care how you waste your life, I don't care who," He glared at Goldie. "You spend your time with. But I REFUSE to allow you to take my nephew down with you. You scoundrel!"

Goldie had to think of something fast. She had to get Scrooge's ire to switch from him, to her. But if Donald being "in trouble" was the source of his ire, then there was only one way to do that.

"But Scrooge, who else was I going to get to help me find the Gunsway heist." She smirked playfully, the way she knew would irritate him.

Everyone in the criminal underworld knew of the Drake brothers' adventures. Though she was pretty sure she was the only one who knew they're real names, by accident actually though no one would believe her. And if 'Sam' was back that meant that, that was what he was after.

Abner made a slashing motion across his throat, trying to tell her to shut up. He didn't want Scrooge to catch wind of the treasure they were going after. But Goldie kept going.

"The only other person, besides you of course, who knows the most about pirates is Donald. Everyone knows that." Perhaps the insinuation that more than one knows who Donald is, was a bit too much.

Scrooge's glower deepened. You could see his temper rising as his jaw clenched and his hands squeezed his cane so hard you could hear the material groan from the pressure.

In the vents Donald was sorely tempted to slam his head into the metal wall in frustration. Everyone knows you don't threaten Scrooge McDuck's family. What Goldie was thinking was anybodys guess.

"What have you done with Donald." He hissed lowly.

"Oh, nothing yet." She said lightly.

With Scrooge's attention back on Goldie, Abner backed away from the argument slowly. He made his way closer to the front to hang around the cross.

* * *

Donald let out the breath he had been holding, glad that Goldie had been able to distract his Uncle long enough for Abner to slip away. Furious however, that she made him think he was kidnapped of all things. They were going to have a long talk after this.

Cal continued his way through the vents, inching his way closer to the his goal. He was working on the srews from the inside when Sully's conversation caught his attention.

"When am I going to meet this partner of yours? Drake?"

Why would Nadine ask about him?

"Unfortunately Drake's out."

"Oh...as in dead, out?"

Cal held back a chuckle as he crawled out of the vent and into the breaker room. The very large breaker room. Oh boy; finding a needle in a haystack might just be easier than finding the right switch.

"No, no. More like retired. Last I heard he settled down, bought a boat."

He started with the panel of switches at lights closest to his right. A voice he hadn't heard in 15 years cut into Sully's conversation.

"Well then, he might as well be dead." Cal paused. He knew that voice, that was Rafe... "Victor Sullivan! How the hell are you?"

"Rafe." He heard Sully great the millionaire.

"How long has it been? Ten, twelve years?"

"Fifteen."

Rafe chuckled. "It's amazing really. After all these years, here we are. Still haggling over dead people's junk."

Cal found it hard to tune out the conversation even as he continued looking for the main power switch. Why wasn't anything labeled!?

"Aren't you running your parents' business?"

"My business." He could hear the anger behind Rafe's quick reply. "But yes, that is my day job."

Nadine was being awfully silent and it was causing a niggling suspicion to start up at the back of his mind.

"One hell of a day job. You could probably afford to buy everything up on the block tonight."

"Well sure. But what would be the point in that? These days I'm only looking for the....good stuff...big scores." Sure, just one more adrenaline junkie millionaire the world doesn't need. "Any advice on what I should bid on tonight?"

He's playing dumb, he had to be. Cal moved to the next panel, but according to the diagram he found on the wall, nothing he saw was it. Just one more problem to add to the pile tonight.

"Yeah, like I'd want to bid against you." He heard all three of them chuckle politely. "But uh, just between me and you. I noticed that they changed the item order. Seems to me like someone might be trying to rig this auction."

"Well, remember where we are. This crowd didn't get rich by playing fair."

That was an understatement. Why were there so many switches!

Nadine finally spoke up. "Which is why you need someone watching your back in a place like this."

From Sully's quiet "Ah" Cal assumed something important was going down. _Please, please don't say your working together....please please_.

"Well I hate to tell you, but you are working for an American."

"With." She corrected. "We've partnered up on this one."

Just GREAT....exactly what they needed right now. Rafe showing back up with a British army for hire! The worst security team and staff who don't seem to know how to label ANYTHING! Scrooge and the kids-Oh no....no.

Donald smacked himself. He'd just have to deal with this later. Scrooge, at the very least, can keep the kids alive, plus Goldie is there and if she wants him to make good on that favour then she'll help too. Right now Abner needs his help...prioritize.

"In a few moments we'll be bidding on our next item." Oh shit. "An inlaid wooden crucifix from the Trott Estate." Where was that damn switch!

"Well, I know when I'm a third wheel. You kids have fun tonight." Sully tried to excuse himself but Rafe cut back in.

"Just hold on Sully." Rafe's tone was vaguely threatening. "How'd you find out about it?"

Cal's finger stilled from where he was tracing lines. Did Rafe suspect......?

"It? What "it" would that be-"

"Cut the crap old man!" He heard the sound of breaking glass. "I don't know how you scammed your way in here, but if you even think about bidding on Avery's cross I can tell you exactly how you'll be leaving. In a damn body ba-"

"Rafe!" Nadine cut him off.

"You get my point."

"Lovely seeing you both." He heard Sully's retreating footsteps. "If your going to cut the power now would be a good time."

"I'm trying to find the- oh crap."

"What is it?"

There was a whole other set of panels behind bars in a metal cage like box. Most likely to keep thieves from cutting the power. "I found the switch, but it's going to take me awhile to get to it."

"Well hurry up. Their starting the bids."

Sam chimed in. "Any day now fellas. Goldie can't hold Scrooge for much longer."

Cal huffed as he searched for a paperclip or...something useful to pick the lock on the cage with. "I'm going as fast as I can. Sully, can you buy me some more time?"

"How?"

"I don't know. Bid on it."

"Kid, I ain't got that kinda cash."

"Sully....we're going to steal it."

"Well, here goes nothing."


	19. Grab'N'Go

Rafe raised his paddle to start the opening bid. Sully raised his to bid against.

Wash....rinse.....repeat.

Cal tried to tue out the rising number. There was nothing in the room to help him get into the cage. At least, not without making a lot of noise.

There was crates of supplies someone had left in the room, probably from when they built the stupid cage. He found a small-ish pipe in one and decided to pry the lock off instead.

"Any minute now kid."

"I'm working on it."

He slid the pipe between the chain loop and began twisting it. He built up pressure and force to create enough leverage to snap the chain at it's weakest point. Just a little more.....come on....

With a loud snap the chain gave out and fell to the floor with a rattle and a thump. Cal hoped the guards didn't hear anything, before swinging the cage door open and marching up to the switch.

"Ready?"

Sam whispered back. "Ready."

"Just a sec." Sully raised his paddle again.

"That's 200,000 euros-"

He heard Rafe yell over the announcer. "500,000. Let's get this show on the road."

"Uh- would the other gentleman like to bid?"

Cal paused with his hand on the main breaker, waiting for Sully to say 'when'. "No thank you."

"You had me worried there for a minute Victor," Rafe's voice was faint from distance. "Thought I might have to kill you."

It was said lightly, but he knew Rafe meant it.

"Alright kid. Now let's ruin this asshole's evening."

* * *

Huey was having a.....rough time.

Usually adventures went much smoother than this. Then again, he and Uncle Scrooge were the most organized when it came to adventures anyway. It didn't help that his Uncle wouldn't tell them why they were here of all places. This place didn't exactly seem kid friendly. It certainly wasn't a place for them. Most of his family really didn't have the uh, skill set, to attend this kind of event.

He understood the fact that his mother has been in space for a very long time and has forgotten how to act appropriately around people. But he was starting to wonder if she ever knew how to politely act around people to begin with. There was no awkwardness to her, if you ignore her aversion to dresses, about how she talked to people and how she acted. She was completely....unabashed. Shameless would be another good word to describe it. With a dash of obliviousness.

His mother did what she wanted without a care to what other people thought. And while Huey was all for that, Uncle Donald often said that you should never let what other people think of you keep you from doing what you like or being yourself, but....his Uncle also taught him manners. And that when talking to people you should let them have a chance to talk too.

When you chew, do it with your mouth closed. No one wants to see what your eating when your eating it. If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything. If you don't want it done to you, than don't do it to other people. Be considerate of other people.....but you don't have to accommodate them.

His mother....Huey was beginning to suspect that his Uncle thought of all those rules with Della specifically in mind. She was like Dewey, but on a sugar high 24\7. Sure she was super supportive and always saying how much she loves them, not to mention always up for something fun. But she was chaos incarnate and Huey was starting to get tired of being the only one acting like an adult. Which wasn't his job.

Usually Uncle Donald kept track of Dewey while he and Louie enjoyed the adventures. But his mom just encourages him to go gun hoe. Like right now, while the bidding was going on they were practically standing on the buffet table. Della was cheering Dewey on as he tried to see how many mushroom caps he could fit in his mouth. Huey begged them for 2 minutes straight to come down, but Della said the same thing Dewey did.

"Awe, cut him some slack. You need to lighten up there Hue-ball. This is a party, and the last thing we need is some Donnie Downer to ruin the fun. Come on, join us."

He declined, Webby joined them instead. He tried his best to ignore them and wondered if 'Donnie Downer' was a reference to Uncle Donald. He was really staring to miss his Uncle. With him gone Huey was starting to get a pretty good idea of just what it might have been like for his Uncle to raise them for a decade, by himself.

His Uncle deserved a medal. Maybe he could ask Uncle Scrooge if there was a none cursed medal or maybe a trophy in his stash he could use as a gift for next Father's Day. He could get his markers and construction paper out and glue a big sign on a trophy that says "Happy Fathers Day to the Worlds Greatest Surrogate Father".

No, that might be redundent. What about-

Suddenly the lights went out. Huey let out a yelp and backed into the table. Then confusion started.

"It's gone!"

"Hey! Follow that guy!"

"You're letting him get away!"

Huey had the sinking suspicion that something was just stolen.

* * *

Cal made his way back outside as fast as he could. He hoisted himself back into the vent, out again, out the window, over the railing and slowly climbed his way down to the ground. He dropped the last few feet to the ground, knees bent he landed in a crouch.

"Sam, please tell me you got the cross?"

"I got St. Dismus right here. You wanna say hi?"

Sully cut in. "We really kicked the hornets nest back here. Ballroom's locked down and security's scrambling."

"Where's our get-away?" Cal crept around the side of the estate waiting on Sully to answer them.

"Out front. I'll meet you there."

Easier said then done. Cal ended up on the far side of the estate. He's going to have to do a lot of backtracking to make it to the front.

The easiest way just so happened to be through the side of the main building and then to take the stairs down to the front door. So he scaled the wall and dropped in through a propped window and back into the main house. He told himself no to worry. Non of the guards had spotted him, he just needed to make his way calmly out. The plan was a success.

The room he dropped into looked like a study, or library of some sort. He paced across the room quickly and opened the door. The last thing he expected to be on the other side was a woman.

"Your not supposed to be back here." He recognized her by her voice and soft British accent. It was Nadine.

"Well, neither are you." His brain stalled looking for an excuse. "But I won't tell if you don't."

She was prettier than he thought she'd be. A light chocolate colored dog with curly hair and warm brown eyes. She wore a sleeveless red top with a pair of black dress pants and modest heels. Her make-up was bare minimum and complimented her nicely.

"You have something I want," She pushed against the door Cal held between them. "And you're going to give it to me."

"Well, I'm flattered. But your not really my type."

Nadine reared back and kicked the door in. Cal landed on his butt from the force feeling like he just got kicked by a mule.

"Playtime's over Drake. I'll be taking that cross now." She held her hand out and stared him down.

Cal was a gentleman. He would never hit a lady. But a fellow soldier was free game. Nadine just so happened to be both and he knew her reputation. She's good, and he's rusty. If he could avoid this fight then he'd try.

"I don't know what your talking about." He tried to get up but she grabbed his shoulders and knee'd him in the gut forcing him back down.

"Give me the crucifix." She pulled her shoes off one at a time; readying for a fight.

"Look, lady. You can't just go around hitting people. It's not polite." Cal puffed trying to get his breath back.

"Really?" She sounded almost bored. "And what are you going to do about it?"

He stood back up and slid into a defensive stance. "Do you really wanna know?"

Nadine smiled and moved forward to jab at him a couple times. He backed up a step and dodged her smoothly. He countered with a strike to her left side which she side stepped. He blocked her kick to his left and they both hopped back form each other.

"I see you've been trained." Her smile widened as if she was happy for a challenge.

"I know you've been."

They traded blows, some landing others blocked. He tried to strike her shoulder but she side stepped again and grabbed his arm, twisted sharply and shoved him forward into a bookshelf. She pushed his arm up higher for better leverage to keep him in her hold.

"Give me the artifact." She hissed in his ear.

"You're going to have to be more specific. Do you have any idea how many artifacts I've found over the years?" Cal rammed his free elbow back and into her side under her left arm. But he didn't get away from her for long. She was mad now.

Nadine charged him with a fake out punch and instead head butted him. While he was dazed she grabbed him by his shirt and quite literally threw him out the window.

Cal fell for a few heart stopping seconds before he managed to grab a hold of one of the four flag poles mounted to the side of the house. He hung for a moment catching his breath.

"I'm at the car, where are you two?" Sully complained in his ear.

"I just met your friend." He huffed sarcastically. "She's lovely."

"Yeah? Well it's total chaos out here. They're trying to keep it contained, but everybody's freaking out. I don't mean to rush you but...hurry the hell up!"

Cal began swinging back and forth to build up momentum so he could release and grab the next horizontal pole. He did this till he reached the end. From there he grabbed a windowsill and used it to climb up onto the roof.

"I'm on my way." He spotted the outside of the ballroom.

"Good news," Sam came across the coms. "I got a gun."

Donald stopped in surprise and felt like smacking himself. That was not good news.


	20. Chaos

When the power came back on people started freaking out, Huey included. The crowd murmured loudly; talking amongst themselves.

Uncle Scrooge stalked back over to them angrily. He could tell his mind was on something else. They waited in the silence for something to happen. He half expected his Uncle to demand their release, but he saw why they were waiting. All of the guards have guns and they did not look very happy.

Huey watched Uncle Scrooge quietly hiss something at his mom. He probably told her to keep her beak shut. When Dewey tried to loudly ask what was going on he harshly shushed him.

Webby poked Dewey, put a finger to her beak and pointed out the guards. Finally, for once, his brother became quiet. He couldn't blame him; of all the bad guys they've faced, none of them had guns.

The wait felt like forever as they huddled with one another.

* * *

Cal made his way across the rooftop of what he assumed was one of the several guest houses surrounding the main house on the estate. Guards were crawling everywhere, an alarm was sounding; no doubt about it, they were spotted.

Worse, they were shooting at him now. He flopped onto his stomach and put his hands over on the back of his hand to keep it down and protect it.

"CAL!" His head shot up at the call and he heard return fire. "CAL!"

Donald got to his knees and tried very hard to ram the worry and anxiety back down, but his heart was still racing.

Where are his babies?

"CAL! CATCH!" Abner's voice pulled him out of his head.

"Wait, WHAT?!" He spotted his cousin on the roof catty-corner to his own. He was a good 15ft away when he chucked....something at him before providing cover fire.

"Oh, crap." His eyes struggled to find whatever it was in the fading light of the sunset.

He barely managed to keep what he now knew was a Beretta 92 semi-automatic pistol from hitting him in the face. That would have hurt like a son of a-

Cal was forced to drop again to avoid a new round of bullets. Well, here goes nothing. The last thing he wanted to do tonight was fight his way out of here, especially with guns. But there was nothing he could do about that now. Donald took a deep breath to calm himself. This was survival now, he couldn't hesitate.

He rolled over until his shoulder were just over the side of the roof, and he took aim. He dropped both guards, each with a single shot, before getting to his feet and waving at Sam.

"What's the plan Sullivan?" The needed an out now. Who knew how fast this compound was going to lock down now the the thieves have been identified.

"Meet me in the Ballroom." Sully answered quickly.

"I thought the Ballroom was locked down?" Sam asked.

"Well once they knew it was you two they cleared the place out. Everyone went running for the hills."

Donald hadn't heard such good news in a very long time. Relief flooded him and he took a moment to enjoy it before telling himself to focus.

"Ballroom it is. We're on our way." He nodded to Sam and they both took back off across the rooftops. The Ballroom was just a few buildings away, back at the front of the estate.

They both climbed down when they ran out of roof and hit the pavement running. The guards were starting to swarm them, trying to cut them off from the gate. He and Sam took cover behind some statues that were decorating a fountain in the middle of the courtyard.

They were right there, he could literally see where everyone had parked just to his left passed the main entrance of the house.....on the other side of all those guys with semi-automatic rifles.

The peppered the statues with alternating rounds so that while three guys had them under fire, the other three could reload. Cal counted, timing the shots, feeling the rhythm, waiting for the right moment.

Two of his three shots hit their marks and he berated himself for being rusty. He ducked back behind the statue, Sam said he got one. So three to go.

"On three." He told Sam. He counted, and they went. Cal didn't hesitate. All three dropped from headshots.

He didn't dare drop his guard or his weapon. In his experience there's always more guards. Sure enough, he could just hear their shouts over the thundering of blood in his ears. They were coming from behind him.

Sam followed his lead when he turned around to aim his gun at the courtyard behind him. He scanned the grounds, the rooftops, the balcony's. He could here them, where were they?

A crash of metal against stone sounded behind him. His first instinct was to point and shoot, and he nearly did.

"Someone call for a limo?" Sully leaned out the driver side window of an old off white Cadillac. "Come on kid. Before the cavalry comes!"

Cal didn't need to be told twice. He ignored the small decorative stone wall, that now lay in peices, that he drove through and hopped into the car. He didn't relax until they were at the appointed safe house.

* * *

"GOLDIE DID WHAT?!" Della was fuming. How dare that old thieving hag lay a hand on her brother! Della paced back and forth with Scrooge on the Sunchaser.

"No doubt she's using the poor lad to uncover pirate treasure for her. I should've made him move back into his room when I had the chance. This would'o never've happened if he'd stayed in the manor." Uncle Scrooge was mostly mumbling to himself.

Huey twisted his hat in his hands nervously. Uncle Donald? Kidnapped? It didn't seem....possible. But both his mom and Uncle Scrooge said it was true. Goldie admitted to it. But Goldie is a liar. she'll say anything to get under Uncle Scrooge's feathers. She'll also do anything to get under his feathers. Like kidnapping Uncle Donald.

While Huey was a nervous mess, Dewey was a guilty mess though he wasn't sure why. Uncle Donald was gone, they had to get him back. But why did it feel like it was his fault?

He didn't do anything. So why did it feel like he let his Uncle slip away? Why did he feel like he didn't do anything to prevent him from leaving?

Leaving? No, kidnapping he didn't prevent his kidnapping....or him from leaving. If he hadn't of left, he'd still be at the manor, with them. He'd still be in his houseboat, making hot chocolate for them when it got cold. Pancakes on Monday's, hugs and kisses before bed.

The realization hit him hard. Dewey really missed Uncle Donald.

Mom is awesome! She does all sorts of cool stuff, she let's him do whatever he wants.....even if it's bad....or hurts.....she expects him to keep up with her........and he's starting to find it difficult to be what she wants. But he can do it. Not a problem, after all he's the son of Della Duck! He just....needs a break is all....

Dewey was tired and he hated to admit it but......right now he just wanted to take a nap, preferably with his Uncle, on the houseboat, in the old hammock.

But, Uncle Donald's gone and they needed to get him back.


	21. We Have A Problem

Uncle Donald left the walkie talkies with them so they could listen in, just in case. Louie wished he hadn't.

For one, hearing his Uncle be threatened and beat up by some soldier lady was scary enough. Knowing there were bad guys with guns locking down the room where the rest of his family just so happened to show up. The unpredictability of Goldie thrown into the mix, then there was the firefight and the heart pounding silence. He was pretty sure his Uncle completely forgot he even had the radio on him.

With every new problem he grew more and more worried. He started out sitting next to April, but by the time he heard the first gunshot he had practically leapt into his sister's lap. She held him gently, trying to hide her own fraying nerves at what she was hearing.

Louie was so tense, waiting for the all clear call from his Uncle, that when his phone rang he jumped out of his feathers and nearly dropped it trying to answer it.

"Where are you!?" He was about to give his Uncle a piece of his freaking out mind.

"Louie?" Huey asked confused. "I was just about to ask you that."

Louie's brain froze for a moment to wrap around what was going on. "I....I thought you were Uncle Donald. He's supposed to call me and I've been waiting forever."

There was silence on his brothers end. A very tense silence.

"......Louie......Uncle Donald's been kidnapped."

* * *

They went to Sully's hotel instead of back with Louie and April to keep any heat that may come, away from them.

Sam set Avery's cross on the little table across the room. Sully grabbed and opened a bottle of bourbon for the three of them. They all sat down to stare at the cross as Sully poured the drinks. Cal handed Sam the hammer he grabbed from the duffel Sully brought.

His cousin stared at the cross a moment before picking it up. He set it back down on the table with the top hanging over about an inch. He raised the hammer ready to break off the top.

He paused. "I hope I don't go to hell for this." He half joked.

He brought the hammer down snapping the top off of the cross. The old would splinter slightly from the force. He tipped it upside down and shook it. A small, rolled up, piece of parchment slid out. It was sealed shut with a wax stamp of Avery's insignia.

"Skull and crossbones." Sully lit his cigar. "That's a very good sign."

The skull faced to the right. It had what looked like an earring in where it's right ear should be, with the classic crossed bones beneath it.

Sam didn't waste any time pulling up the wax to unroll the parchment. The page was yellowed with age but well preserved. It also show cased a pair of crossed swords on a incomplete cross, another skull and cross bones beneath them though they faced forward and text in a circling arc around the picture. The edges of the parchment were decorated in symbols of ivy, arches and crosses. Below the skull and crossbones was a series of numbers, 16591699.

He read the script of Latin. "....Hodie....mecum eris...in Paradiso-"

"Today you will join me in Paradise." Cal translated.

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "It's what Jesus said to Dismus on the cross but..." His brow furrowed in confusion, wondering what this had to do with the Gunsway heist. "What do you make of these numbers here?"

He turned the paper around so Cal could see it. Both he and Sully took a look.

"Some kind of code?" The old dog guessed. "Or a phone number."

"They're dates." Cal announced. "Look," He placed his hand over the paper. "1659-"

"The date Avery was born." Sam added and he moved his hand.

"1699." Cal was smiling now.

"Let me guess." Sully was amused with his excitement. "His date of death."

"By most accounts yeah...but," Sam was still confused. "That means we have date of birth, a date of death and paradise.....which means....we're looking for Avery's grave-"

"At St Dismus's Cathedral." Cal stood with the realization to grab his old journal he made for this adventure.

"Hasn't Rafe been scouring that site for over a decade?" Sully pointed out.

"Yeah, the Cathedral." Cal sat back down and flipped his journal. "See these symbols?" He pointed to the crossed swords. "These are found on old scottish gravestones."

He pulled a map of the Cathedral grounds and surrounding area from between the pages. "Now look at this." He spread it out on the table. "The layout of this place is unusual. Because the Cathedral's up here, but the cemetary? It's down here." He pointed out the two opposite ends of the map.

"He's been digging in the wrong place." Sam grinned.

"Exactly." He folded the map back up and put it away.

"We gotta get to Scotland."

"Hold up." Sully leaned forward. "You do know that Rafe expects you guys to go?"

"We'll deal with that when we get there." Cal dismissed the warning.

"Kid, that psycho would like nothing better, than for you to show up. Not to mention he has Nadine and her entire army on his payroll." Sully reminded him.

"Maybe, but he doesn't have this." He held up the parchment. "And we need that treasure for Sam."

"How're your kids with all of this?" The question took Cal back. He didn't expect Sully of all people to question his motives let alone try and guilt trip him. He also knew that he'd have his back.

"They were the one's to convince me, actually."

"But he's got a point." Cal turned to Sam, surprised he agreed with him. "I mean it. Rafe's involved now, things are different. I can handle this one on my own."

Cal raised an eyebrow. "Really? Says the "Expert" on Avery that didn't even recognize the numbers as dates."

Sam was about to reply when they heard frantic knocking on the door. They all went quiet as Sully got up to answer the door. They held their breath, waiting for trouble.

"Hey, kid. You got company." Sully had barely finished when Donald felt the full impact of a flustered duckling launch into his lap.

"You ok Lou?" He ran a hand through his nephews feathers. April walked up to them calmly and stood beside Donald.

"I need to talk to you about something." She sighed as she said it. Donald was pretty sure he knew what she was talking about.

"Come on." He stood up with Louie in his arms. "Let's talk about this outside." He motioned toward the balcony. April followed him out.

That left Abner and Sully alone together. And the old dog had something on his mind to talk about, he just wasn't sure how to go about it. He must've had a look about him.

"Something on your mind Sullivan?" Sam grabbed his drink and took a sip.

"I know it couldn't have been easy....being away all those years. And I really am sorry for what happened to you. But it's not his fault."

"I never said that it was." They stared at each other hard.

"It took a long time for him to get out of this game. He's got kids." Sully wouldn't back down.

"You see a gun to his head? He chose this." Sam frowned. "He's meant for this life."

"You really believe that?" Sully gestured to the balcony where they could see Cal comforting his youngest. He remembered the day he dropped in to say hi and found the kid with three of his own. The little ducklings still had their yellow down feathers.

"Why are you here Victor?" Sam crossed his arms defensively.

"Because someone's gotta keep an eye out for him."


	22. The Deal

Louie clung to his Uncle fiercely. The relief he felt at the sight of him, while immense, was not enough to abate his panic. The soothing his Uncle gave him was however.

Uncle Donald stroked his head and held him, just the same as always. The familiarity of the action, the person doing it, the scent of coffee, ink, and salt water which surrounded his Uncle like a storm cloud; He was happy, very happy he had decided to come with. And he was never letting his UNcle out of his sight again.

He tuned out April, who explained the phone call Huey had made, and simply cuddled further into his Uncle's feathers.

"Louie?" His Uncle pulled back to look at him. Louie hesitated for a moment before looking up at him. "We can go home right now if you want."

"What? No." He pulled back shocked. Though he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised.

This was Uncle Donald, not Uncle Scrooge. Where his great Uncle would trudge on, ignoring his fears and tears, to get to whatever treasure he had his sights set on. Uncle Donald was always more concerned over their safety, rather than treasure. He missed that, he suddenly realized, he missed being thought of first instead of some stupid idol or legend.

"Louie? Are you sure? We can go home anytime you want alright? I can always ask a friend to help Abner." His Uncle reassured him but it only made him feel guilty.

Abner asked for Uncle Donald's help and he was about to lose it because Louie couldn't stop acting like a baby. If Dewey were here he'd punch him.

Louie was scared, but he knew his Uncle could protect himself. From what he could see he had no injuries, no bruises. Other than the plan falling apart, he's perfectly fine. Louie just had to suck it up. Besides, he'd feel even more guilty if something bad happened to Abner and his Uncle blamed himself for not helping when it would clearly be Louie's fault. Not to mention, when this is all over his Uncle would be a quarter of 400 million dollars richer. That's still a 100 million dollars. Uncle Donald would never have to work again.

"Are you sure?" His Uncle asked again.

"Yes. He asked for your help. YOUR help and you promised." He crossed his arms for emphasis but it only made it look like he was pouting. "I can't have an Uncle who goes back on his promises. That's just not cool man."

Donald smiled at him to hide his worry and ruffled his feathers. "Alright then. But still..."

"I know, I know. But I've made up my mind. But I'm only letting you go on one condition."

His Uncle frowned slightly. "And that would be?"

"No more leaving me behind. If something happens to you, I don't want to be the last one to know."

"Louie-"

"I'm not talking dead center of the action, I just want to be as close as possible. Come on Uncle Donald." He begged pulling out his puppy eyes. "Please? I've faced monsters before."

Donald frowned and opened his beak to decline but Louie trudged on.

"I know what your going to say. What if I get caught by the bad guys? What if I end up in the middle of a battle? What if I get stuck with you in some death trap? Well I have the solution." Donald raised an eyebrow and resigned himself to listening to his youngest's pitch. "I won't be with you. I'll be with April. I won't leave her side, if you need us to bail? Boom, we bail and meet back up with you. Too dangerous to come with? Fine, we stay behind in the getaway vehicle and make sure you come back." He lowered his voice; practically begging. "Please Uncle Donald? What if something happens to you?"

Donald hated to admit it, but he understood how Louie felt. It was the reason he went with Scrooge and Della on all of their adventures despite the danger, despite his reluctance. Because if something were to happen to them, then he would want to at least be there.

Louie waited, breath held, for what his Uncle would say. He didn't want him to give up, he never has before, he didn't want to leave Abner hanging. It felt to much like leaving someone to die.

"Fine." Donald sighed.

"Please just reconsid-what?" Louie paused.

"I said fine." Louie fist pumped in victory. "But if something happens I'm sending you straight back to the Institute, no questions asked."

"Deal." He hugged his Uncle relieved. "So, where do we go from here?"

* * *

The last time he was in Scotland he didn't really get to enjoy the view. Being stuck in the old dogs airplane he still didn't. But that was okay, meeting Sully he realized he was the same dog from the picture he found in his Uncle's journal. So he added Sully's name to the back of the photo and tucked it into his own journal he was now dubbing his Secret Files.

His stomach was in knots over what his Uncle might encounter. After all, they were sneaking onto this Rafe guys property. He took the mirror his Uncle gave him to call his other two sisters and stuffed it into his hoodie. He had a feeling he'd need it on him to call for help and he wanted it on him at all times just in case.

Uncle Donald must've seen the nervousness in his eyes. Because he walked over and sat next to him on the plane. His Uncle pulled out a strange necklace and an old silver circle.

"I want you to have these." He put the necklace around Louie's neck and handed him the round silver thing. "This symbol here," He held up the wooden medallion on the leather cord. "This is for protection. So nothing can hurt you. And the compass," He opened the lid to reveal an old picture of three ducks, one old, one middle aged, and one young......who looked a lot like Uncle Donald. "If you ever need to find me. Follow the compass."

"Thanks." Louie wasn't sure if his Uncle was being literal or not, but considering their family history..."Who are they?" He pointed to the photo in the compass.

"That would be your Great Grandpa Duck, Your Grandpa Quackmore Duck and me." He pointed out.

"Quackmore....as in the New Quackmore Institute Quackmore?" Louie asked. Uncle Donald paused. "Uncle Donald?" Louie pressed.

"The institute was founded by your Great Great Grandpa, Clinton Coot." Donald admitted quietly.

"How closely related would he be to say....Cornelius Coot?" Louie asked curiously.

"Clinton's his son, why?"

Louie ignored the question and kept going. "So, our Great Great Great Grandpa founded Duckburg?"

"Yes."

"And our Great Great Grandpa founded the new Quackmore institute, which is named after his....Grandson?"

"I never thought about it like that, but I suppose..."

"And your the Greatest Adventurer of All Time?"

"Technically, yes. But don't tell Scrooge. I'll never hear the end of it."

Louie had once thought that his McDuck side of the family was the most interesting, if only because of Scrooge himself and all of the weird history surrounding that side of the family. But the duck side he knew nothing about, at all. Well now he knew something. Both sides of his family were weird and kinda awesome. He might need another journal, and to re-label this one Part 1.

This adventure was shaping up to be a wild ride, on all accounts. No predictability here, between uncovering Duck family secrets to wherever this Pirate treasure was going to take them next. Louie couldn't decide if he was nervous, or excited.


	23. The Quest Begins

Donald couldn't keep the knots out of his stomach from leaving April and Louie behind with Sully. He reminded himself that both April and Sully were Navy trained, everything would be fine. They just had to get in and out as fast as possible.

The trouble with Scrooge and Della hung at the back of his mind like a constant reminder, even as he tried to concentrate on free climbing the sheer cliff face where Sully had dropped them off. He looked back down to see the seaplane still sitting in the water and told himself not to forget that he had the walkie talkie on him this time.

They crested the edge of the cliff and he heard his radio go off. "Can ya hear me kid?" Sully tested the range of the radio.

He pulled it off his belt as Abner pulled their rope lines back up. "Loud and clear. We'll let you know when we find something."

"Got it. Stay out of trouble."

"Don't I always?" He couldn't help but snark.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."

Cal chuckled before placing his radio back on his hip. He pulled out his map of the Cathedral grounds to get his bearings before heading off. "Graveyard should be this way."

The Cathedral rested on an island just off the coast of Scotland. It had more edges and juts than any valley or glen he had ever seen. Might have something to do with the mountain and the fact that the Cathedral was built on it's foothills.

They started off towards the east end of the grounds. To keep from being spotted they had to edge along the coast. So their grappling hooks and hiking boots came in handy. They climbed across sheer bluffs, through craggy caves set between the cliffs and dells; At one point they free climbed a large boulder by hand strength only. The small indents in the rock face were too small for their feet to grip.

Now at the top, they could see the Cathedral in the distance. Along with puffs of smoke and dust clouds that were being kicked up by excavation equipment.

"Rafe really went all out didn't he?" Sam asked.

Cal pulled out a pair of binoculars. "They're all concentrated around the Cathedral. Now's our chance." He pulled his radio back off his belt. "We're here, wish us luck."

"Bring me back something shiny, will ya?" Sully retorted.

"Will do." He put both the binoculars and radio away. "Ladies first." He gestured to Sam.

His cousin just snorted. They both headed down the hill toward the cemetary while trying to stay out of sight.

"Scottish graveyard," Sam started thinking out loud. "Seems like a strange place to bury pirate treasure."

"Actually," Cal sidestepped a large rock. "By the time Avery sailed here the place was already abandoned. Plus with a massive bounty on his head, it would've been a great place to hide."

As they continued on over the ridge Sam kept glancing at him like he wanted to say something.

"What?" Cal asked.

"What happened between you and Rafe?"

"I couldn't deal with him and I'm pretty sure he'd had enough of me. Between dealing with your death and his frustration over not finding the treasure....I'm pretty sure he was ready to kill me by the time I bailed." Cal didn't like to recall the last time he was here. Wracked with guilt he didn't think it was right to continue looking for Avery's treasure without Sam. So he had laid it to rest, so to speak.

"Imagine what he wants to do to you now." Sam grinned. He always did enjoy screwing with people.

"I'm trying not to."

They made their way through the small grouping of trees loosely surrounding the cliffs they were trying to cross. Cal groaned; they spent all that time climbing up, now they were going to have to climb down. Great.

He spotted an old tree at the edge of the bluff. "This should hold." He pushed against it to check before wrapping his grappling line around it to repel. "Good thing we brought extra rope."

When they dropped down Cal noticed an array of equipment scattered around. Maps, lamps, ropes, buckets and a large blue container.

"What the hell is all this?" Sam wondered aloud.

"It's excavation equipment." Cal walked around to read the side of the container. "Shoreline?"

"No, I thought they were just by the Cathedral?"

"THEY'RE HERE." Without warning two soldiers opened fire. Cal was glad he kept the gun from the Rossi estate.

They both ducked behind the crates for cover and pulled out their guns. Cal popped up first and nailed the assailant to his right. Sam pinned the other down behind a rock. Cal made a break for the tree ahead of him for cover so he could get a better angle on this guy. He had to take him out before they got the word out to anyone.

He focused on his breathing; waiting for the guy to pop out to try and take a shot. When he did Cal dropped him.

"Nice to meet you too Shorline." He left cover to survey the area. "They knew we were coming." He told Sam and they both frowned.

"They're also spreading out their search away from the Cathedral." Sam added.

"We need to get to that grave yard." Sam went to take off running but Cal grabbed his arm. "Preferably, without being seen."

Neither of them bothered to holster their guns. Better safe than sorry. Donald swallowed the guilt that was starting to build up. Louie would have heard those gunshots. But he can also hear that they're alright, he reminded himself.

He shouldn't have let him come.....but he would again anyway. To be honest, Donald would rather know exactly where he is than be blindsided by a surprise. Like Rafe finding out he has kids and using that against him. Louie was safest where Donald could easily get to him.

They walked as fast as they could while keeping an eye out for any more soldiers. The terrain was not the best, since Shoreline was here first a lot of the soldiers were going to take the high ground to keep a lookout. They had to tread carefully.

The path to the graveyard was still 'downhill' so instead of taking out their ropes they opted to jump from bluff to bluff to make their way down. When they dropped two more levels they stumbled across a weathered stone structure, covered in moss and missing a wall or two. Shoreline's equipment was splayed around the ground here too.

"What is this?" Sam looked around. Cal held back a snort. While his cousin was a Pirate expert, a history buff he was not.

"The Monks had several living quarters. Most commonly they were built by the cemetary." Cal kept checking the bluff edges above them for soldiers.

"Well...location, location, location." This time he did snort.

Cal had to wonder how in shape these Monks would have been considering all of the rocks, hills, glens, dells and cliffs that surrounded them.

In the distance he could hear the rumble of an explosion. "They're not....you don't think..." Sam glanced at Cal.

"That Rafe would be willing to blow this island up to find something? Yeah I do." Cal moved the tarp aside from a crate and found several boxes of dynamite inside. He picked one up and showed it to Sam.

"Great."

Cal pocketed a few. You never know when they might come in handy.

Their trek through and between the bluffs was tense and quiet as they kept an eye out for any more soldiers. Cal counted his breaths to stay calm as he kept his eyes upward to scan the cliffs and trees. They were so close, almost there.

"Sam," Cal hated to, but he holstered his weapon as he approached the side of the bluff. "There's a partial ladder up there, just out of reach." He pointed it out hanging only a few feet over the edge. It must have been one that the monks used to get around. "Come, here. I'll give you a boost."

Cal locked his fingers together and Sam stowed his gun in his waistband. He pushed his cousin up easily and turned to watch his progress. Sam had to climb the rock a way's just to reach the old rope ladder, but once he did he lowered a rope down for Cal. They were off again and now, they had the high ground.

The old path they followed through the Cathedral grounds was worn from years of being exposed to the elements. Some parts had completely fallen or broken away leaving holes and spaces between the bluffs that created sheer drops. They jumped across the first few gaps before they came up to an extreme decline in terrain.

Cal and Sam would have to slide downhill on the broken stone gravel, jump and catch themselves on the other wall of rock.......or fall.

"Ready?" Sam asked as he stared at the terrain, thinking about how to time his jump.

"After you." Cal waved him forward with a hand but Sam didn't look like he wanted to move. "Or not. Baby." Cal let his feet slide out from under him so he could control his descent.

"Hey." Sam followed him. Indignant over the teasing remark.

The impact was his least favorite part. They both hit the wall and scrambled to get a hold of the juts on the rock. They both sighed as they found secure footing, releasing the breaths they were holding. Cal could hear the blood rushing in his ears from the spike in his adrenaline.

"He's paying us double to wipe them out." Cal looked down to see three Shoreline soldiers walking between the bluffs below them. "You go where the money leads you."

"That's cold." They held their breath, trying to listen and keep from getting caught.

"It get's colder." They passed them and he had to lean around the bluff they were on to see them. "I'm going to go take a leak. Educate our young friend here." He watched as the soldier who spoke broke away from the other two to take a leak. Right beneath him. It was too perfect.

Cal dropped right on top of the guy, knocking him out and using his body to muffle his landing. Sam did the same. The other two soldiers kept talking, oblivious to the two ducks silently walking up behind them.

"So what happened next? Did you put down the Rebels?"

"With our help, they kept them at bay. But once the money ran out....well, there was no reason for us to stick around anymore."

Cal motioned for Sam to take the one on the right. A double takedown would be their best option. They moved forward, crouched and ready to strike.

"And the General?"

"Didn't even last the night. As Nadine says, business is business."

"Whatever gets us more action. I could use a good coup right about now."

"Tell me about it."

Cal popped up like a viper, grabbing the soldier by the neck he kicked his legs out from under him and twisted till he heard a snap. He looked over to see that Sam had dealt with his the same. Good riddance, he's never liked mercenaries.

"Let's hope we can keep this up. We need to stay off their radar." He left the bodies behind, Sam following, and took off again, gun out, toward the graveyard. They could see it now in the distance.

"Why couldn't Sullivan drop us off at this end." Sam complained as they began climbing the ruins outside of the graveyard.

"Because," Cal grunted as he jumped up higher to catch the edge of crumbling wall. He pulled himself up. "That was the only place Shoreline wasn't patrolling."

Sam pulled himself up beside him and sat down to rest, staring out over the mountain range. "What a view." He panted and laid down trying to catch his breath.

"Just a little further. We need to climb up another level to cross the ravine."

"Woo-hoo." Cal laughed at his cousins lack of enthusiasm. "Is this what you've been doin' all these years? Climbing around ruins?"

"Pretty much, well and getting shot at....and punched.....and kicked....and drugged-"

"I get it." Sam huffed still breathing hard.

"Are you out of breath? Man, your getting old." Cal teased with a smile on his face.

"Hey, I resent that."

"Scrooge would have kept going...."

"Oh here we go-"

"...like a bullet train. He doesn't slow down at all. Next time you complain, you should try keeping up with him."

"I'll show you old." Sam tried to sit up. Tried to, but his abdominals were sore, and protested loudly.

"Need help?" Cal stood over him with a cheeky smile on his face.

".......yes."

They finished the climb up, using their grappling hooks to cross the ravine's gap, and landed right in front of the gate. The very large, solid wood with iron brackets gate.

"Give me a hand." Cal and Sam braced their hands on the underside of the gate, where it was raised a foot and a half in the air. They both pushed up as hard as they could. The gate rose slowly, lifting just high enough for them to duck underneath it. Cal held it for Sam, once he was on the other side he then held it for Cal and it fell with a rattling clang behind them.

"Welcome to the Saint Dismas dormitory." Cal announced for Sam. "The alleged burial place of one Henry Avery."

"Let's go find that grave." Sam grinned.

They roamed over a few graves, ignoring the ones without the swords and the doubles marking couples' graves. It wasn't too far in that they found exposed remains.

"Looks like Rafe's been digging around here already." Sam frowned at the bones left exposed to the elements.

"Good thing he doesn't actually know what he's looking for." Cal opened his journal and began sketching bits and peices he thought might be important. The layout, the decorations on the tombstones and the columns that bordered the area.

"Hey Cal, check this one out. It's got cutlasses, just like on the scroll." He made his way over to the tombstone where Sam was standing. It was a large cross standing taller than both of them and decorated at the top with crossed cutlasess. He leaned in and dusted of the place where the dates would be engraved.

"The dates are wrong." He opened his journal and took out the scroll. "We're looking for crossed cutlasses, skull and crossbones and the dates 1659 to 1699. We find a tombstone with all three and we're in business." He replaced the scroll in his journal and took off across the graveyard to check the opposite end from Sam.

He found a few with cutlasses, some even had the skull and crossbones, but all their dates were wrong. They continued to look at the tombstones methodically, going from the ones by the gate to the back of the cemetary where the last of the graves sat on the edge of a cliff over looking the sea.

Sam went left and Cal went right bee lining straight for the last few large tombstones that they could see had swords on them. He brushed aside the dirt and grime, reading over the headstone of the one closest to him.

Cutlasses, dates matched and skull and cross bones.

"Hey Sam, come here." He called his cousin over. "Look at this," He pointed to the name. "Benjamin Bridgeman."

"Avery's alias."

"But the skull." The skull above the bones was in an alcove carved into the tombstone. It sat on some kind of stone pole facing forwards. "It's strange. It's like it doesn't even belong to the stone."

"Because that's not Avery's siegel." Sam said disappointed.

"Right, the skull should be facing-" It hit them both at the same time.

"Sideways!" "Sideways!"

They both grinned and Cal grasped the skull firmly before turning it to face the right. The reaction was immediate. They could hear the sound of stone sliding against itself from behind the grave. Sure enough, when they looked you could see what used to be the stone floor was now lowering itself to create a staircase. From the look of it, it would lead them beneath the graveyard.

"You ready for this?" Cal turned to Sam and handed him a flashlight.

"Oh, I've been ready for a long time."


	24. Self(ish)less

Louie tried to keep his nervousness from showing. April sat across from him, calmly reading a book she brought and typing on her computer. Sully still sat in the pilot's seat, leaned back and probably asleep.

When the sound of bullets came across their radio both of their heads shot up to stare at the device. They waited for a minute. The silence was deafening, Louie could hear his own heart beat, but finally they heard it. His Uncle's remark to Abner about needing to get to the graveyard quickly. If he was being honest, the duckling was sorely tempted to demand that Sully fly over there and pick them up. For once, Louie thought, the gold isn't worth it.

Usually he'd be all for it. Treasure meant gold and jewels. Gold and jewels meant money. Money meant no more bills. No more bills meant no worries. No worries meant Uncle Donald would stay home, no more leaving. They wouldn't have to work anymore. Not Uncle Donald, not him, not Huey. No more babysitters. Uncle Donald would come with them on adventures, and if Louie didn't want to go he could stay behind with him. Life would be perfect. Nothing to do but whatever he wants.

Then there was Abner. As much as Louie wanted the money, for not just him but family too, Abner needed it more. Even if he and his uncle walked away without any treasure, they'd at least be alive............ _ except Abner _ . Louie had to remind himself, this wasn't an adventure. This wasn't a game, or a fun trip. Someone's life was at stake.

This is serious, this is a job. One he knew his Uncle would see through regardless of the danger. Because Donald Duck may not like adventure and all it's danger, but he'd do anything for family. Even if "anything"was leaving.....

Louie had never thought about his Uncle like that before. He thought he knew him inside and out. Obviously not. For the longest time Uncle Donald was just a loving, goofy, clumsy, sometimes dumb parent who would always be there for them. At least, that's what he thought. He didn't understand how he could've gotten his uncle all wrong.

But he was beginning to, starting with the fact that some things never change. He smiled at that. It was a comforting thought. As he read through his Uncle's old journals he could see aspects of his uncle in them. Like how the monsters he faced were on a scary scale, they were all given ratings to show how much Donald hated them. There were all those drawings of boats, his uncle had a tendency to go on and on about how much he loved sailing and the boats he found. Kinda like Huey.....

That's when Louie suddenly realized. Uncle Donald was the exact opposite of Della. When they would go out to do something, uncle Donald would ask them where they wanted to go. Della would just choose and then spend the entire trip gushing non-stop about how much they're going to love the place. Uncle Donald would gently bandage their injuries and worry over them. Della would tell them "It's just a scratch, you'll be fine." Della..... _ Della _ left her family to go do what she wanted without thinking about how it would make them feel and she encouraged his brothers to do the same. But uncle Donald.....he only ever thinks of everyone else first, to the point that he's always getting hurt while trying to protect them. He's always looking out for them, for the family. Did they ever do the same for him?

He remembers the day the houseboat blew up. The day they found out Scrooge was their Great Uncle. Huey had made breakfast and he had picked out a suit for his Uncle. But those were just distractions to keep him from missing Dewey, so Dewey could hot wire the boat. Which was, admittedly, not the greatest idea.

He should've known his brother couldn't actually hotwire the boat. Uncle Donald had to rebuild their home from the hull up.....Uncle Donald re-built....their home..... _ from the hull up _ ... He didn't have the money to buy the parts, he would've had to make them himself...

Louie opened his journal on Uncle Donald and wrote down 'Builder' underneath 'Historian' on the skills page. That fact had been right under his beak the entire time and he didn't even notice. Uncle Donald was right, it really is easy to keep secrets if no one asks any questions. He frowned as he wondered if there was anything else he had missed and why he missed it. Was....was he more like his mom than he thought?

_ "Since when do you care about anything other than gold and schemes?" _

Dewey's words from last week echoed in his mind. What if he was just like Della? He already pulled a stunt like she did. After all, he nearly lost his whole family during the Tymphoom incident. All because he wanted to be rich, because he wanted to be lazy for the rest of his life. He wanted the world on a silver platter. Just like Della......and  _ Gladstone _ .

Gladstone.....he was willing to leave all of them in that demon toad's clutches just so he could be free. Louie's frown deepened as he remembered what the half goose did. Even Uncle Scrooge was willing to trade Uncle Donald for Gladstone on the hunch....HUNCH, that his bad luck would save him.

What if he had been wrong? Just like with Della....we could have lost him then....and none of us even  _ realized it _ . Or thanked Uncle Donald for just about killing himself to win that race...

He liked Gladstone,  _ had _ liked Gladstone anyway. Now he can see why his Uncle didn't like him. All he ever did was take. His ego and selfishness must rub Uncle Donald like sandpaper. And Louie called him his coolest non-rich Uncle. The gander didn't deserve it.

Louie was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't notice Sully until the dog sat down beside him. He jumped lightly and shook his head to clear it.

"He'll be ok kid." The dog's voice was gruff but kind. "I've helped him outta worse scrapes then this." Louie wasn't sure how to respond to that. All he could think about was how this dog knew his Uncle better than him.

"You ok kid?"

Louie looked to April for help, but she just smiled at him and gestured slightly with her eyes to Sullivan. He sighed before answering. "I'm fine Mr. Sullivan."

"Mr. Sullivan? You're making me sound old kid." He said with a chuckle. Louie just gave him a deadpan look. "Alright, ya got me there. But at least call me Sully, all my friends do."

He wanted to say, 'You're not my friend', but he figured that would be too rude. "Whatever you say,  _ Mister _ ." He couldn't help but snark.

Sully laughed. "You're just like your dad, you know that?" Louie was too shocked by the statement to protest the feather ruffle he got from the old dog.

_ My dad? Wait, did he mean Uncle Donald? _

He blinked in thought and then smiled. He liked the sound of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big shout out to Agentz123 for editing my Prequel for me. For Dani Harkness for realizing that this is indeed the second story in my timeline. :)
> 
> And because these guys in particular are awesome.
> 
> Rosecato
> 
> Bubbledaff
> 
> Mypreciouslittletoonette
> 
> CathU500
> 
> IsabellaNajera
> 
> queenofpranking
> 
> Kitsune Wood


	25. Tomb Spelunking

_**A/N I am so sorry this has taken so long. I've just been under a lot of stress since the election (I'm an election inspector...in Wisconsin) so yeah, all of that stuff was fun. Then there's a family vacation with all of my siblings, 7 nieces and nephews and the three babies were all teething at the same time.** _

_**Anyway, sorry again. Hopefully, these next few chapters will help.** _

* * *

Cal could practically feel Sam's excitement as they made their way down the staircase beneath the graveyard. At the bottom, they turned to their left and saw another flight of stairs going down and at the bottom of that another. The air grew colder the further they went but it did nothing to staunch both ducks' curiosity.

"Let's see what we got here." Cal shined his flashlight around the bottom of the stairs.

The small yellowish light illuminated piles of bones across the floor, and as he swept it to the sides, stacks of skulls on the edges of the room with tombs lining the walls above them. They both stopped in confusion.

"It's a crypt." Cal went first down the tunnel, scanning it for clues.

"A crypt, hidden behind a secret door?" Sam stepped over the old bones as he followed his cousin.

Cal eyed some old clay urns spotting something. "The secret door was probably added later." He said absentmindedly as he picked up an old piece of paper and unfolded it carefully.

"Ah, to hide his loot." Sam came up behind him and looked over his shoulder at the letter.

"One of the monks wrote this." He held up the letter so Sam could see it better. His cousin hummed in thought before walking away. Cal folded it gently and tucked it inside his journal.

He stood and turned to his right to continue through the crypt. It bothered him that some of the shelves and sarcophagus' looked ransacked, begging the question...what happened down here?

The path wound around and down another flight of stairs. Their footsteps crunched the loose rubble as they passed through searching for some clue or sign of the treasure. It turned out they didn't need to strain their eyes so hard, as the next chamber was a rather large room containing three very familiar statues.

"Well, the gang's all here." Cal remarked holding his light higher to see. They sat upon pedestals against a wall, carved with immaculate details. He approached them slowly as he looked them over for any hints or clues. The only thing that stood out was the spoked wheels on their bases.

"Jesus. Dismas on the left..." He brushed some dirt off of what looked like a turning wheel attached to the base of the statue.

"The penitent thief." Sam interjected.

"Yep," Cal swung his flashlight over to the other side. "And Gestas on the right."

"Jerk thief." Sam joked making Cal smile as he took his journal back out to sketch the statues. He even labeled them "Penitent" thief and "Jerk" thief in his finished picture. Donald smiled and wondered if Louie would like to see his journal when they get back.

"This guy really had a thing for Saint Dismas." Cal couldn't help but point out.

"Avery fancied himself a "good thief". He only pillaged and plundered the non-British heathens." Sam smiled ruefully at the fact.

"Is that what passed for good back in the day?" It was a rhetorical question of course. Cal was well-read in pirate history. Not as obsessed with them as Sam, but he still knew what he was talking about.

"Good enough." Sam chuckled.

As Cal closed and put his journal back in his jacket pocket he noticed that there was a space behind the wall with the statues. He made his way around it and found a strange and intricately carved door directly behind. It had six glass orbs set into its surface and scattered around them were decorative stars carved into the stone.

"Is that a door?" Sam asked.

"Looks like it. I don't see a way to open it though." Cal ran his hands along the crack down the middle and around the sides.

"What are those star symbols?" Sam shined his flashlight on the door to indicate what he was looking at.

An idea hit Cal and he turned around. On the backside of the wall with the statues were three alcoves. In each alcove, a metal rectangle was mounted and on closer inspection held some kind of lamp above it. He was glad he snagged that lighter off of the waiter back in Italy.

Pulling out the lighter he lit the lamp and had to jump back as not only the lamp caught fire, but it trailed down the sides of the metal and into a furnace-like pit set into the base of the wall he hadn't noticed before in the dark.

"Woah, would you look at that." He called Sam over.

His cousin gave a low whistle. "Clever."

All three pits below the statues were lit now, each projecting two beams of light onto the wall with the door. It dawned on Cal, it was a puzzle.

"The light's coming from the other side of the wall." He remarked out loud. "Twenty bucks says we gotta line up the lights to the glass orbs on the door." He smiled impishly.

Sam gave him a side-eye. "No bet."

It took a few minutes of directing, but with the turning wheels on the bases' of the statues, he maneuvered the lights onto the door causing them to light up in a pattern.

"Is that a constellation?" Sam asked when he came back around to the door.

"Yeah," He pulled out his journal again. "That's Libra, the scales of justice."

"Odd choice for a pirate." Sam mumbled.

Cal's eyes scanned the door, looking for what to do next. He followed the line the lights made and noticed that some of the star symbols that dotted the door weren't flush against it. Walking closer he noticed that they looked like they could be turned.

"Well, let's try this." He grabbed the long points of the star on the bottom left of the door, at the tail of the constellation, and turned. It gave way with minimal fuss and after a few turns the door flew open. Sam and Cal jumped back and stared at the glass pane revealed to them.

Sam smiled. "Open Sesame."

"Wrong treasure." Cal sidestepped the light punch aimed at his shoulder as he approached the glass.

It filled the entire doorway and looked out across the bluffs of the island. From one side and slanting across to the other were three, golden lined circle windows. They both got closer to look out of them and through one you could see three crosses standing on the side of a single bluff. Each was circled with scores in the glass and between them was the fourth circle.

"Amazing view." Sam breathed in awe while Cal continued to furiously sketch what he was seeing. "Are those crosses?"

Cal looked up. "Yeah, and look here." He pointed to the fourth circle on the glass. "It looks like a cave." He tucked his pencil inside his journal and put it back away. "I think Avery's trying to tell us where to go next."

Sam turned to go back the way they came but Cal stopped him.

"There's just one problem. To get there we have to go back toward the Cathedral..."

"And towards Rafe." Sam sighed. "Well, let's not keep him waiting."


	26. Fire in the Hole

They started back the way they came, through the graveyard, down the rocky cliffs and back across the terrain toward the Cathedral. They dodged a couple of patrols as they made their way over. Lucky enough for Sam, Donald knew exactly how to avoid them. The last thing he needed was another close encounter. Especially since he only had a clip and a half left of ammo and he's pretty sure Sam only has...maybe a clip. Either way, they continued to climb and slide their way toward the Cathedral with Cal on a vigilant look out.

They dropped down into a crevice and slid out onto a shoreline. Cal made it first and pulled his journal back out to update it.

"Right up there," He pointed to the cliff across the way from them. "Right between those two crosses is where Avery wants us."

Sam huffed as he stopped beside him, far more out of breath than his cousin. "What Avery wants, Avery gets."

Cal ignored him, put his journal away, and continued on. The shoreline was choppy and uneven. It felt like they did more climbing and vaulting to cross it than to get to it. Halfway across his radio went off.

"What's your status kid?" Sully's voice crackled over the radio.

"We're on the trail. But...the treasure's closer to the Cathedral than we originally thought." Donald tried not to sigh.

"What do you need me to do?" Good Ol' Sully.

"Keep the engines warm. We plan on being back soon. Oh, and the bag in the back has some snacks and pep in it. Make sure Louie eats for me, would you?"

"You got it. Keep me posted."

"Will do." He put his radio away and continued to climb.

The only path up and toward the cave seemed to be an old warn one that led them through old tunnels carved into the side of the cliff. They passed old barrel's and pickaxes...and the skeleton of what was probably one of the miners.

Cal stopped for a moment to stare at the remains. Poor guy, left up here and forgotten.

"Patrol up ahead." Sam called from the exit.

Sam crouched beside him to hide within the tunnel. They waited, crouched and wary for the sounds of boots to disappear. He could hear them, walking over their heads and calling out to one another. After an intense minute all was quiet again.

Sam went first and Cal followed. The path wound around and seemed to split, so they each chose a side to investigate.

"Hey, there's a ladder over here." He heard Sam call out.

So he went back, helped hoist his cousin up, and they continued along the gravel path.

"You don't suppose the monks built this, do you?" Sam asked suddenly.

Cal glanced at him. "No, they'd have no need for it. There aren't even any quarters or buildings beside the Cathedral over here."

"So it was a way to conceal the treasure." Sam smiled.

"Not necessarily. That would be too easy." Something wasn't adding up here, but Cal couldn't seem to put his finger on it. If the treasure were here, it would have been found already. And Avery's fascination with St. Dismas wasn't making any sense. There was a theme here...but what did it mean?

"You think we're missing something?" Sam frowned at Cal's cryptic words.

"In my experience...we haven't been through enough." He quickened his pace.

"Enough...what do you mean enough? Wait, Cal, hang on. What do you mean? What is enough?" Sam followed Cal back into another tunnel.

Sam was about to ask again when Cal shushed him. "You hear that?"

They held their breath and listened and after a moment they heard the concussive blast of dynamite rumble and shake the rock.

"They're at it again. We need to hurry before they collapse one of our tunnels." Cal took off again, going as fast as the sloping gravel path would allow. It seemed to take them further inland and away from where the cave was. But with all of the old wooden platforms and ladders decayed from years of rot, beggars can't be choosers.

So they continued as closely as they could. Then they ducked back into another hollowed out hole in the rock. Unfortunately, all the blasting Shoreline was doing in the area had already caused a minor collapse in the tunnel. The roof support beam had fallen along with a few large stones.

"Help me lift this." Cal called back to Sam.

"And uh, what if that's the only thing holding the ceiling up?"

Cal looked back and watched Abner shift nervously. "Then I'll apologize. Come on."

"Alright...ok." He helped grab the log and hoist it up.

Cal held it so Sam could pass, once on the other side Sam held it for Cal. Once he cleared it Sam let go allowing the beam to fall.

"See, it held," The ceiling collapsed burying their exit permanently. "...long enough."

Abner just shook his head. He forgot how much fun this was, how much Don got into it. He was just like Scrooge, but better. Don wasn't stingy or overly critical. He was loyal....

Guilt nagged at Abner as he followed Donald through another tunnel. If anything happened to him...it would be his fault.

"Woah." He stopped behind Cal and looked down. The tunnel had led them between the bluffs where there was nothing left but the scraggly remains of what should have been a bridge and walkway to the lower level. Oh, and a sheer drop into the ocean filled with pointy rocks.

All that was left were the support beams attached to the side of the bluff and a single support plank attached to each.

"We'll have to be extra careful on these."

Sam was about to ask what he meant when Cal just...jumped. He landed solidly on the first plank...leapt...and almost missed the second. He caught himself on the edge and pulled himself up. It was like the world's most dangerous game of hopscotch.

"Extra careful! Remember?" He called out to his cousin before stealing his own nerves...and jumping. When he made it to the platform where the broken staircases were he found Cal sketching the cavern.

"The cave is just up these stairs." He shoved the journal back in his pocket. "Come on."

They carefully went up the stairs and climbed the rest of the way. The tunnel had led them straight to the mouth of the cave. Sam smiled at Cal, happy to be making progress.

"That was one hell of a detour." It felt good to hear Don chuckle. It felt just like old times and Abner had sorely missed this. The moment was ruined by their radio going off.

"Kid, there's a storm picking up. How's it looking?" Cal immediately picked it up to answer.

"We're about to head into the cave."

"Cave?!" Louie's voice shouted frantically through the speaker. "I thought it was in the graveyard?"

Donald hesitated. The last couple of hours had been an adrenaline joy ride and he loved every second of it. And he hated being reminded of how much he missed it. Louie's voice was like a cup of cold water to his face and he had to remind himself. There's more to life than adventure, a lot more...and they're far more important.

"We might lose contact for a bit, but don't worry. We'll call you as soon as we get out. I promise."

"No worries kid," Sully reassured. "We'll keep the porch light on for ya."

"Thanks. Call you soon." Donald felt hesitant to enter the cave now. What if Louie needed him? What if the patrols find the plane? What if...

"Come on." Sam slapped his shoulder. "Let's go see what Avery's left us."

"Right." He followed his cousin in slowly as he reminded himself why he agreed to come.


	27. Paradise??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, my brother's like...
> 
> Bro: What'cha writing?
> 
> Me: Oh, just a DT Uncharted Crossover.
> 
> AllMyBros: WHY WOULD YOU CROSS FANDOMS??? THOSE HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON!!
> 
> Dad: That's so cool! I can totally see Donald doing that. That sounds awesome.
> 
> Mom: Oh I love that game! Can we watch the playthroughs again:)
> 
> Me: ~facepalm~ Sure mom...
> 
> Christmas was fun. :/

Most of the cave looked decrepit and worn from years of erosion. Half of it appeared to have collapsed some time ago. They had to squeeze between a crack in the wall just to keep going. From there it was obvious they were in the right place.

Carved stone stairs, some broken others missing, led the way into the depths of the cavern. Stalactites obscured their view making it difficult to discern where exactly they were heading, whilst the stalagmites made it difficult to navigate the path in the dark. Even with their flashlights, the overwhelming darkness surrounding them seemed to swallow their field of vision, but still they pressed on. Not much could quell the mounting excitement both ducks were feeling.

Rounding the corner they reached the bottom. There Cal shined his light on a door. It was intricately carved in stone with a strange stone box set into the wall beside it. The box held a small hole just big enough for a hand to slip into.

"Check this out." He threw over his shoulder. Sam came up behind him.

Without hesitation Cal slid his hand, all the way up to his arm, in the hole. "It's a little slimy, but I can feel a handle or something in here."

Sam gave him a wide-eyed look. "Well...give it a pull?"

Cal eyed his cousin over his shoulder. "It could be a trap."

"You're already in there," Sam shrugged trying not to freak. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"I could lose my hand?" Donald raised a single brow.

"So I'll get you a nice hook." He gave his cousin a sheepish smile in return to the deadpan expression Cal gave him.

Cal harrumphed and mumbled to himself as he got ready to pull. "Nice hook.....yeah, sure...here we go."

With a crack and a rumble the door rolled away, literally. Instead of splitting down the middle or sliding or maybe even swing one way or the other, the door rolled because it was circular. Stranger and stranger, the odd feeling still wouldn't leave Cal alone.

He smiled at Sam, wiped his slimy hand off on his cousin's jacket, and headed into the next room.

"Really?" Sam shook his head ruefully before following. "Hello, hello. This is pretty interesting decor."

Cal already had his journal out again, taking in every detail. Humongous ornate pillars surrounded a set of stairs leading to a strange door. Carved statues of cloaked figures with scythes and skeletal hands adorned the pillars themselves like timeless sentries.

All around the outside of the doorway, hung like decorations, were gibbets. Gibbets are nasty cages that were used on pirates back in the day. And the ones here were all...uh, occupied.

A sign hung from one by Cal's head. The gibbet itself was hung from an iron post like a morbid and grotesque version of a birdcage. He tried to ignore the half skeleton still clinging to the bars as he read.

"To those who prove worthy...Paradise awaits. To those who prove false...behold your grim fate." Donald frowned trying to figure this new puzzle piece into his already jumbled thoughts. Dismas...Gestas...the cross they found....the graveyard...the offer of Paradise...Why advertise your hoard? Why set up a test to get in? How would people prove themselves worthy? It wasn't adding up. But the biggest question here was the sigil on the sign.....

"I guess Avery was a better pirate than a poet." Sam's comment brought him back from his thoughts.

"This isn't Avery's warning." Donald stared, absolutely confused, at the image of an arm, flexed and holding a cutlass. It was a simple and easily recognized emblem.

"What do you mean?" Sam finally came around to look at what he was talking about. "That's the Rhode Island Pirate."

"Thomas Tew." Cal agreed.

"But that's impossible...I mean that's his sigil but..."

"Tew died attacking the same treasure fleet as Avery." Cal finished as he walked away from the sign. He swept the room with his flashlight looking for something to help explain this. "At least, that's what the stories tell us."

If Donald had a nickel for everytime the history books had it wrong, they wouldn't even need to be here. He'd pay Alcazar off himself.

"Then if that's really Tews mark, then he's involved in all of this...how?" Abner's great at many things, Pirateology especially. But understanding motives and archeological evidence, he is not.

Just then the cave shook causing bits of rock and snow to fall on them. They both gazed up momentarily before looking back towards the door.

"If I had to guess?" Cal nodded toward the sign. "Two things; either a pact of some kind, or a life debt."

"What, you mean like Avery rescued him during the fight or something?" Sam asked like it was a ridiculous notion.

"That, or you know..." He pointed his flashlight at the remains left in the gibbet that held the sign. "That's Tew up there."

Sam frowned in thought, but he trusted Donald's opinion. After all, his cousin was far more experienced in this than he was.

"Come on. Let's go find out." There was only one way to figure out what was going on for sure, and that was to forge ahead and find more clues.

**Author's Note:**

> RnR plz


End file.
